17Whatever
by MissCrayons
Summary: A spell gone awry sends Faith to Galway, not long before Angel was sired. Meanwhile Angel’s getting lost in memories that seem to be connected to his sudden attraction to the slayer. While they try to bring Faith back, does Faith want to leave?
1. The Begining

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Authors Notes

**Akasha -** Hello! This is my first Angel fan fiction and I'm SO pleased I got to team up with somebody as amazing as Sebastian (aka Melek) to co-write it with! I hope you like this story - we are very proud of it! First Chapter means that Reviews mean a lot. So if you like, it review - if you don't, lie. We still get warm and fuzzy feelings!  
  
Happy Reading!  
  
Starts in 'Orpheus', season four episode fifteen.

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Faith was leaning against a wall. Her mind was occupied thinking about everything that had happened that day adding to that her neck was still tender from Angelus' attack. Unconsciously her hand went to the newly bandages wound. Willow had tried to heal it, but to no avail.  
  
Angel watched Faith touch her neck tenderly and couldn't help the pang of guilt he felt. Stood there, watching her bathed in the moonlight he couldn't help but think she looked completely innocent. That she reminded him of something from his past, though he had no idea what. He shook his head and took a step towards the slayer. She looked at him then shifted her weight so that she was leaning on a railing facing him.  
  
"Hey," she said softly, still feeling slightly anxious around the vampire.  
  
"How're you feeling?" Angel walked closer to Faith, guilt still flickering within his dark eyes. Faith noticed this but decided not to call him on it.  
  
"Like I did mushrooms and then got eaten by a bear" Faith quipped, soft sarcasm in her eyes, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.  
  
"That about sums it up." Angel replied. Trying to join in with Faith's attempt at humour, "and now you're going to Sunnydale?" Angel asked, unsure why he was feeling so bad about the idea of Faith leaving so soon, when Cordelia was right upstairs. Faith cringed at the idea of going back to Sunnydale for more reasons than one,  
  
"I think I'd prefer the bear,_ but_ the way Willow talks it up" Faith paused for a second and looked into Angels eyes "it's where I'm needed." Angel was the first to look away, then he moved a few steps forward and leaned on the rail next to Faith. For a moment it looked as if he where about to say something but he didn't. Neither did for a few minutes.  
  
"Never stop fighting." Angel muttered, as if more to himself than to Faith.  
  
"Hey! I was going to, until somebody got all prep-talky on me." Faith grinned and Angel let out a small smile. Then his eyes lowered and he was right back to regret.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you. Our little brain trip not with-standing." His eyes once again moved to regard the slayer, she smiled encouragingly,  
  
"Another time,"  
  
"I have a lot to thank you for - " Angel stopped when he saw Faith shaking her head lightly,  
  
"And vice-versa, but I even start it's only going to lead to hugging and - " Faith stopped, she glanced up at Angel and saw that he knew exactly what she meant, the two kept eye contact for a few minutes until Faith shrugged it off and smiled half- heartedly.  
  
"Right" Angel sighed, "We can't have that".  
  
"No." Faith turned and walked inside, Angel's eyes following her for a few minutes before he called out,  
  
"Faith?"  
  
Faith turned around, looking at Angel questioningly, Angel took full opportunity of the hesitation, walked up to her and hugged her affectionately.  
  
"Hey, no hugging." Faith smiled, her arms still tightly wrapped around Angel breathing in the very scent that made him, him. Faith moved her face up, to ask Angel what he was doing.  
  
Angel was looking down at her.  
  
Their eyes met.  
  
Then before either knew what was happening Angel's lips were on Faiths. They were kissing, both exploring a hidden world neither had been allowed to encounter before. It felt new, exciting and strangely familiar to Angel. The warmth that was running through his body seemed like it had been there before. In a time and place, Angel could not remember.  
  
Faith was the first to pull away, looking frantically around, short of breath, "Angel – what?" Angel's mind came flooding back to him and he turned as if to pull away, muttering his apologies as he did so. Faith pulled his face back to hers and kissed him again, this time innocently, reassuringly. The vampire relaxed back against her body and the innocent kiss evolved into something much more passionate. Angel's arms were pulling her up to him as if afraid he would lose her if he let her go. Faith was on tiptoes to get better access to Angel's mouth.  
  
"Faith, Willow is....." Wesley stopped dead as he saw the two kissing. They both leapt apart as if prepelled by an unseen force and glanced at Wesley nervously. Wesley shocked added, "waiting." Faith looked sheepishly towards her old watcher; she nodded, throwing a reassuring glance at Angel over her shoulder as she fled the room. As soon as she was out of sight Wesley turned quickly to Angel,  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, scornfully. He knew he had made a mistake as he saw Angel's change in posture as his guards raised. The vampire's back straightened, his eyes hardened and he met Wesley's eyes with a cold indifference, luckily for Wesley it melted as soon as he tried to answer the question.  
  
"We...just...I don't know..." Angel was stammering slightly, his mind still mostly on Faith, remembering how it had felt, pressed up against her body, her soft lips. Shaking his head Angel came back to reality . "We kind of" he paused searching for a phrase to make the other man understand "grew together?" he offered, truth be told he couldn't actually think of a reason other than it had felt like the next logical thing to do. Like some part of his mind had made a home in Faith's embrace and just now decided that it wanted to once again take up residence. He could not remember a time when he hadn't been attracted to Faith. He hadn't trusted her, not at all. Nevertheless, there had always been a familiarity around her. Angel decided to ponder that later.  
  
Meanwhile, inside the hotel Willow and Fred were stood in the foyer scowling at each other,  
  
"I'm sorry, but it's not my _fault_ you like me so much" Willow challenged, her voice soft but firm.  
  
Faith decided to stop this before it started, she was getting a headache and trying her best not to run back to Angel and leap into his arms, she could not be doing with a fight.  
  
"**Now** you tell me you have somebody!" Fred retorted, her eyes shining with unshed tears, when she caught Faith's grimace she softened her voice even more, "on the phone _you _said you were single!"  
  
Faith felt Angel enter the building behind her, his presence sent shivers up her spine. However, the only reason she knew Wesley was there was from the low-toned 'I do not what to hear this' being ground out thought gritted teeth somewhere behind her.  
  
"**Guys**. I have the headache to end all headaches, can you take this somewhere else?" Angel spoke, calmly, not once looking at Faith.  
  
Willow and Fred continued to bicker quietly, if that's what one could call an argument between two girls who wouldn't say 'boo' to a mouse. Ignoring everything else, that had happened. Gunn watched with baited breath,  
  
"You know what guys?" he whispered to Angel, Faith and Wesley, "I think Fred might be gay!" Faith looked at Gunn and shook her head exhaustedly, dropping down heavily on the couch in the middle of the room. Seeing that everybody else was occupied Angel walked slowly over to her,  
  
"About before..." Angel started and looked down at her who merely had an eyebrow raised in query,  
  
"Angel, please don't......I wanna go to Sunnydale and fight, stop this, hell, maybe even die which is a huge probability." Faith paused and got her statement back on track "At least let me keep the memory that at least for five minutes, you wanted me." Faith looked downwards, tears in her eyes. Angel looked like he had been hit by a ton of bricks, he now stood there looking lost. Without hesitation, he pulled Faith up and smashed his lips into hers. They kissed until Faith had to push Angel away, because her head was thumping from the need of oxygen. Angel pulled her close, ignoring the gaping stares of the others and growled into her ear, 'I always wanted you Faith'.  
  
Then Angel pulled away and looked around the room. "You better go. Go now you'll be there by morning." Angel did not hide the pain in his voice very well.  
  
Not well at all.  
  
Willow looked at Fred and the looked at Angel.  
  
"Can we stay the night and leave tomorrow? Driving at night.....can be dangerous." Willow looked at Fred tenderly leaving Angel wondering when they sorted it all out. However, all he could think of was having to stay away from Faith for a whole night since he was already longing to touch her. 


	2. Company

**Authors Notes**

**(**_Review Replies at the bottom_**) **

**Akasha** - Hey guys! I'm so happy with the response from the first chapter glad you liked it. I'm looking for a beta reader because I don't have time to re- read the story for mistakes - oh ok I have time but no patience! So if you like it or not, please review - much more motivation to get the next chapter up. {_Hugs everybody who reviewed_} YOU ALL ROCK.

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Angel knew he was facing a tough decision. One he did not really want to make. Nevertheless, something in him, be it responsibility or the need of having Faith stay longer, made him choose.  
  
"Sure, you can stay," Angel said. Faith looked at him, wondering silently why he made that choice, though her subconscious screaming the answer to her loud and clear. "But the two of you need to sort things out," Angel said to Fred and Willow realising by their close proximity they already had, but needed something to distract him from the intense relief in Faith's eyes.  
  
"Okay, but -" Willow started as if to reassure Angel, but was cut off abruptly.  
  
"Zip it," Angel said firmly. "My hotel, my rules. That specifically involves no fighting" Angel paused and nodded when everybody was looking at him with a raised eyebrows "oh hell, you know what I mean" he scowled. Willow stifled a giggle and Fred hid a smile. The others had no such tact and where practically beaming at Angel's way-with-words.  
  
But something about his expression told Willow that there was something serious on the vampire's mind.  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
Outside a storm had started, though nobody inside the hotel had noticed until now. A loud crash of thunder and a streak of lightning was what it took to gain their attention to the violently swinging patio doors that Angel and Faith had left open. Angel's mind was spinning, his head was hurting and the noise wasn't helping. Something reminded him of a night, long ago. But no matter how hard he tried to search his mind he couldn't remember when, or what was nagging at his brain.  
  
He shook his head and sighed heavily,  
  
"Well, go on. Find yourselves a room, there are plenty." With that said Angel walked outside, closing the patio doors behind him and looking up into the black, cloudy LA sky. It started to rain, large raindrops fell onto his face, but he barely noticed them. His mind was blurry. His mind kept falling onto something and as soon as he tried to focus upon what it was, it scrambled away and left him frustrated. Gunn walked out, his eyes squinted from the heavy, Californian downpour.  
  
"What was that with all the big-yahoo-being-maybe-gay-thing," he asks, trying to get Angels attention.  
  
"I don't know, Gunn, it's all blurry to me," Angel replied.  
  
"So, we have some guests," Wesley said sceptically, who had also walked outside.  
  
"I don't want Willow driving to Sunnydale in this storm, it's too dangerous." Angel said.  
  
"I'll call Buffy," Wesley suggested helpfully.  
  
"You do that, and" Angel paused "tell her, Willow and Faith going to stay over, at least, until the storm passes - for all we know it could be something supernatural and we can't risk them like that." Angel explained to him, while still thinking that he himself should be the one to call Buffy - unfortunately, he had no will to do so, and thus stayed in the pouring rain. His hair plastered to his head and his clothes to wet to absorb any more water.  
  
When Wesley walked back in, Gunn closely, on his tail they saw both stopped short and looked at the counter, where Fred was leaning against it and Willow had her hands cautiously touching her waist. Willow was leaning gingerly against Fred's body, kissing her so gently it looked as if Willow were afraid Fred would break.  
  
"I could have done without seeing that," Gunn whispered, his heart breaking slightly at the sight of his ex-girlfriend kissing somebody else. Worse than that, a woman and he turned and walked upstairs, throwing Wesley some sort of excuse about going to get dried off.  
  
Faith came down the stairs, just as Angel walked inside, shutting the door tightly behind himself. Angel's eyes moved around the room and locked with hers. Faith smiled lightly at Angel and then her eyes caught Willow and Fred, she raised a curious eyebrow and laughed,  
  
"Go Willow" she joked, encouragingly, to which Willow turned her head and mock-glared at the brunette slayer. Her glare melted into a smile as Fred's hand moved to her shoulder.  
  
"Well, he" Willow started, pointing at Angel "told us to sort things  
  
out" she smiled warmly "and look, sorted."  
  
"Oh yeah, blame the vampire," Angel muttered sarcastically to himself more than anybody "Everyone does that when even the slightest thing happens...."  
  
Faith was laughing as she moved down the stairs and stood next to Angel, smirking,  
  
"Don't make such a big - " but Faith didn't have chance to finish her sentence because Angel's lips where once again on hers. For Faith that meant the world had stopped and the only thing happening was the kiss between the two, his tongue moved over her bottom lip and then he caught it between his teeth, adding such light pressure that Faith's knee's almost buckled. Faith was getting short for breath and was feeling rather dizzy from the combination of the lack of oxygen and the amazing tingles that were running through her body. Suddenly her body went limp, Angel caught her reflexively and swept her into his arms, he looked down her, his eyes filled with worry,  
  
"Faith," he said, starting to panic "Faith, come on." At that Faith's eyes snapped open, both glowing with mischief,  
  
"Fooled ya..." she said, a grin spreading across her lips, which were red and bruised from the kissing.  
  
"Angel, can I have a word with you in the office," Wesley interrupted, "Angel?" he said again, this time firmer. Angel looked at Wesley and nodded slightly, he placed Faith back on the floor and kissed her forehead instinctively, he was not sure whether he or Faith was the most shocked by an action that seemed so completely natural.  
  
As soon as they entered the office, Wesley closed the door.  
  
"What on earth you are doing," Wesley shot at Angel.  
  
"I'm not sure, it seems, natural," Angel replies, almost answered himself more than the British man in front of him.  
  
"Shouldn't you be worried about your soul," Wesley asked, sighing heavily and dropping onto his chair, placing his elbows on the desk and resting his head in his arms.  
  
"I am, it's just - it's like there's something strange there, as if I've done all this before, she tastes so familiar and she feels, just so right in my arms," Angel countered, as he started to pace the office.  
  
Wesley looked at him, concern written all over his face "That's just attraction Angel, besides it's also impossible, she's younger than Buffy and unless you had before Buffy - while she was still in her early teens - " Angel's disgusted look at Wesley stopped his straight away, "so like I said, it would be impossible"  
  
"That's not it, the attraction I had with Buffy was strong but it - " Angel stopped pacing at looked at Wesley "it wasn't anything like that" he said, as he looked out of the glass panel in the door at Faith who was talking avidly to Willow. Just then Faith looked up and smiled at him, waving sarcastically as he continued to watch her. With a half smile, Angel waved back, then turned away and looked at Wesley, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
His eyes passed over Wesley's desk and something triggered his memory, he had a perfect vision of himself. Sat in front of a roaring fire, his parents sat at the top and bottom end of the large family dining table, candle's burning on the table for light. Opposite him was his sister, smiling sweetly, her hands together as she spoke 'amen'. In the vision Angel turned to his right but before he could glance at the person sat next to him, the vision was lost.  
  
'No not a vision' his mind corrected him 'a memory'. A memory of a time long ago, when neither Angel nor Angelus existed. When he was just a drunken louse of a man, named Liam.  
  
Wesley was still talking when Angel began to come around from his memory, he hadn't heard a word the watcher had said.  
  
" - and I mean think about it. Plausibly there is no possible way" Wesley stopped and looked up at Angel's blank expression "and you haven't heard a word I've said have you?"  
  
"Sorry." Angel muttered, his mind still lost on his memory, without even saying goodbye to Wesley Angel left the office. The foyer was desolate, everybody had vacated, Angel walked up the stairs slowly. As he reached the second floor, he caught Faith's scent and followed it into room number 342, he gently tapped the knuckle of his index finger against the old, wooden door.  
  
"C'min" a voice shouted from inside, Angel opened the door gently and walked in. The room was empty but the bathroom door was open a crack and steam and light were pouring out of the small gap. Angel caught the smell of the fresh soap and smiled. A few minutes later Faith came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her wet body and her wet hair falling all over her face, "Oh, Angel!". Faith nervously pulled the towel tighter around herself. If was unusual for her to be nervous around men, but this was Angel. This was different.  
  
"Hi" Angel smiled weakly, Faith smiled back him she opened her mouth to say something but stopped as Angel's features hardened,  
  
"Angel?" she said, questioningly. Angel's arm shot behind him into a corner that was un-kissed by the light of the dim bulb, there was a loud crack as Angel's elbow connected with something's face. Faith cringed slightly but she was on the balls of her feet as more demons where coming though the door.  
  
"Faith. Clothes!" Angel growled out as he blocked and punch from the demon, then landed an uppercut to the demons torso sending it sprawling into a wall, where it's head connected with the thick plaster and it fell unconscious to the floor.  
  
"Angel, more demons." Faith stated, spinning on her heal sending a high kick into the face of a demon, unfortunately the demon saw it coming and grabbed her leg, spinning her into the air and landing her stomach down on the floor. As the demon moved over to Faith, Angel grabbed it's arm and spun it backwards, then Angel head-butted it with all his strength knocking the demon to the floor.  
  
"Faith. Get into the bathroom!" Angel was grabbed from behind by two demons, one held fast to each arm. Angel pulled, faith rolled her eyes and punched the demon holding Angel's left arm in the face, making him let go. Angel used his now freed left arm and connected his fist with the demons nose. It stumbled slightly, but used it's full strength to propel Angel through the window. Faith heard the glass smash and her head snapped around to look for Angel,  
  
"Angel?" she yelled, turning back to the demon and breaking it's neck with a second wind, she turned to look at the one that threw Angel and in a swift motion spun a chair up and caught it in two hands, she then smashed it over the demon's head knocking that one out too. Faith rushed over to the window, making a grab at her towel as it slipped, fixing it once again, tightly around herself. Before she could look outside to check on the vampire one of the demons had woken up and now had his hand around the back of Faith neck, he then threw her across the room and she landed on a table which broke from her weight.  
  
Meanwhile Angel stands up, and dusts himself off after the fall. As he's about to walk back into the hotel he see's a pile of branches next to the spot where he just landed,  
  
"Whoa, that could have gotten...dusty." The he walked up through the main doors and met the surprised looks of Gunn and Wesley, Wesley was the first to speak,  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Took a flying lesson" Angel said, grabbing a sword and tossing it into the air, catching it right way up. "Grab some weapons. We got visitors" Angel was already half way up the stairs when Wesley and Gunn both grabbed some weapons and moved to follow him.  
  
"Party time." Gunn smiled,  
  
"It appears so." Wesley answered, following Angel at a quicker pace so as not to lose his boss.

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**Review Replies  
**  
**Maineiac –** thank you, we plan to continue very soon  
  
**You-can-scream –** thanks, that's a very important thing to us, keeping them in character...it's the main thing we're striving to do and it's always foremost in out minds while we're writing. It's nice to know that people appreciate out efforts.  
  
**Dallas –** you really think it's deserving of an 'awesome'? Well then I think you deserve a THANK YOU. We love Faith and Angel too, we just hope you like Liam and Faith also......  
  
**Artwork –** very appreciated  
  
**bsktballchik –** glad you think so to, Faith and Angel make a great couple don't you agree? We do. We'll update as soon a possible. {huge smile}  
  
**Imzadi –** sorry about the Fred/Willow thing, I've tried to neutralise it slightly so that it's more in character, I just think those two together would be sweet. I miss Tara.....  
  
**Sara –** hopefully, you won't have to wait too long.  
  
**ComicBookJunkie26 –** I'm glad you like it so much and hey, it can only get better, right?  
  
**Rune –** you won't have to wait this long again, don't worry.


	3. Door Lock

**Authors Notes**

_**(**Review Replies at the bottom**)**  
_  
**Akasha -** Hey Y'all. Sorry we left it so long to update but I've had to get my new computer sorted out. Yes I know excuses are just evil - which is why this chapter is quite long. Also it took us a while to figure out the spell scene 'just so'. Hehe. So please review. We adore all who do, and it encourages us to write much better and quicker. So review please.  
  
TTYL and enjoy!

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Upstairs the demon who had Faith was ready to break her neck in one easy snap when a voice stopped him,  
  
"Leave the slayer be. I'll finish her off." Faith squirmed and the demon dropped her to the floor in front of the vampire. As her head rose up she recognised the contorted face of a vampire she'd faced before. As the words she was about to speak where almost out of her mouth, the vampire pulled and baseball bat from behind him and brought it up under her jaw, knocking Faith out cold.  
  
Seconds later Angel was stood in Faith's doorway, he saw the vampires head buried into the slayers neck and Angel vamped out. As he did he let out a growl that made some loose plaster fall off the wall beside him. The vampire looked at him, eyes wide and blood smeared around him mouth. Faith's blood.  
  
"BOYS!" the vampire yelled and Angel heard windows of the nearby rooms smash, unfortunately the vampire that bit Faith was introduced to a pointy stick long before his boys got there and Angel was on the floor cradling Faith's body. Her eyes flickered open and looked at him. Angel heard commotion out in the hallway but his full attention was on the slayer in his arms. His eyes flickered to her neck and she smiled,  
  
"Hungry?" she attempted a smile, but it turned into more of a flinch from the pain,  
  
"Don't even joke" he scolded, brushing a strand of dark hair from her darker eyes. There was a crash out in the hallway and Angel slightly turned his head, "Gunn and Wes must have caught up."  
  
"Go help."  
  
"You be okay?"  
  
"Five by five," she muttered weakly. With Faith's last comment Angel laid her on the floor and ran out the door, the only thought in his mind was to get back to Faith as quick as possible. He dusted the last of the vampires within seconds and turned to Gunn,  
  
"We're going to need you're car - " Angel made a move to go back to Faith's room but stopped at the threshold as he felt Gunn's hand on his arm,  
  
"Not to be disrespectful and all, boss. But we have a mad powerful witch downstairs - " Angel cut Gunn of before he had chance to finish,  
  
"Who's healing powers still have something to be desired as we've seen from the lack of healing on Faiths neck." The anger in Angel's voice was more that apparent to Gunn who nodded and ran downstairs to get the car. Angel walked into Faith's room where he scooped up an unconscious slayer in his arms and leaped out the window. He landed on his feet and ran to the front of the building were Gunn was already sat in the front of the car revving the engine.  
  
Wesley watched from the window as the black convertible sped down the road and into the LA night. Willow was stood behind him.  
  
"So vampire locks, huh? Won't Angel be upset?" Willow looked at Wesley, hopefully.  
  
"Just do it." Was the only answer she got.  
  
"That's gonna take more then the Latin-spell I used back in the day," Willow sighed, then she turned to Fred, "Can you get me some candle's sweetie?" Fred nodded obediently at her,  
  
"Sure." She disappeared out of the room, closing the door too behind her.  
  
"Wes, I'm gonna need four plates with some sort of substance representing land, sea, fire and wind." Willow thought it over and then, shouted to Wesley just as he was leaving the room "Oh, and an empty one. Thanks" Wesley smiled and nodded, leaving the room. Wesley returned a few minutes later, on the tray he carried where four plates one empty, one filled with dirt, another water, and the last ash from the downstairs furnace with an empty jar placed on the side of the tray.  
  
"Thanks" Willow muttered, indicating with her fingers where he was to place them on the floor. Wesley complied. Lorne walked up behind the witch and placed a calming hand on her shoulder,  
  
"Want me to do anything?" he asked,  
  
"I could use a chalice of boiling water" Willow asked, hopefully,  
  
"Great. Anyone else for tea?" Lorne clapped his hands together and left the room. When Fred returned with the candles Willow inhaled deeply and took them off her, placing them at each point of the circle.  
  
"Right. Okay." Willow sat cross-legged in the circle "Oh by the way" she said as more of an afterthought "don't step in the circle, k? You'll probably end up fried or something..." Willow giggled nervously. Fred and Wesley looked at each other and nodded.  
  
"Okay" they both agreed in unison. Willow sighed again and turned her head to look straight ahead. Lorne walked in and placed the chalice of boiling water next to her, sipping out of a china cup with his free hand. He smiled and Wesley and Fred who both gave him half smiles.  
  
Willow took a deep breath and started to chant slowly. The words flowing from her mouth as if they were not foreign at all.  
  
"Harken well ye elements, I summon thee now. Control the outside, control within. Land and Sea, Fire and Wind. Out of my passions, a web be spun. From this seed, my will be done, so mote it be."  
  
At her words the contents of the plates started spinning in a circle around her, the dirt fell to the floor, making the building shake ferociously, the water and ashes kept spinning until soon Willow was surrounded by a ring of fire, underneath it another ring of water.  
  
"maybe we should have done this downstairs" Fred hissed to Wesley as she stumbled into Lorne who hushed her quickly.  
  
The empty jar smashed and a gale wind swept around the room, sending papers flying. Fred and Wesley both shivered and Fred tried desperately to keep her hair out of her eyes so she could continue to watch Willow.  
  
As if on auto-pilot Willow's hand grabbed the chalice full of boiled water and poured it roughly into the empty plat, where it sizzled and evaporated on contact. Willow's body levitated into the air and she started to spin gently, her focused on something the others couldn't see.  
  
""Curarea his verbes, a aditus recrissus est. Curarea his herbes, a aditus est" Willow said, firmly as if speaking to a person. She started repeating the sentence over and over until the two rings surrounding her obeyed. They both left through the window. Fred hurried to watch them and was shocked them circling the entire hotel. The wind was next to go, enveloping the entire building in freezing gales. The final element to shift was the land, which roughly shook, now under the whole building.  
  
Suddenly a huge, blinding white light shot from Willow's body and lit the outside of the hotel light enough so one could mistake it for daylight. Then Willow dropped to the floor panting and everything was over. The plates were empty and the wind had died. The ground was still and everything was normal, Willow looked up at them, her hair glued to her forehead from sweat,  
  
"Wow, what a rush" she smiled and the other three in the room began to laugh.  
  
Angel looked around at the sterile white walls. He looked to Gunn who was sat next to him reading a magazine,  
  
Angel blows his fist into the wall: "Darn. I screwed up big time... Why didn't I..."  
  
"Mr Angel?" Angel and Gunn's heads both snapped up,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"She's awake" a nurse says.  
  
"How is she?" Angel asked, swiftly moving towards the nurse,  
  
"She's lost a lot of blood" the nurse explained, a slight edge of suspicion creeping into her voice, "and without knowing how it happened - " she stopped when she saw the anger grow in Angel's eyes "we don't know how much blood has gone."  
  
"Can i..." Angel remembered Gunn stood behind him and corrected himself "can we see her?"  
  
"I'm sorry, sir. She's in the intensive care unit - " before she had chance to finish Angel gulped in some air and tried to stay calm.  
  
"Take. Me. To. Her" he insisted, firmly. There was no room for argument in his request. The nurse looked down to the floor, nodding her head gently as she turned and led them down a corridor.  
  
Angel's mind was spinning. His imagination was running wild. Gunn was walking beside him, his expression firm. The white corridors seemed to go on forever as they followed the young nurse. Angel could smell the antiseptic of the hospital better than anybody, but he could also smell the blood that still lingered around. He shook these thoughts from his mind as the I.C unit came into view. He heard Faith long before the doors where open.  
  
"I don't care, I'm fine, let me GO!"  
  
Angel heard something break and he rolled his eyes, the swinging doors opened and he looks straight to Faith, who was stood on the bed, arms flaying around, dressed in a hospital gown, yelling at the doctors.  
  
"Look, me" Faith pointed to herself as she said this, as if to prove a point, she shook her head and tucked her hair behind her ears, "alive, and screaming!"  
  
Angel smiled and walked over to the bed, Faith smiled back at him, her temper dissolving. He looped his arm behind her knees and swept her from the bed, holding the slayer close to his body.  
  
"We're leaving." He informed the doctor. The doctor was wide-eyed looking at them both. He looked so afraid Angel wondered if he'd accidentally vamped out. He figured no, seeing as there was no screaming. Faith nuzzled Angel's neck affectionately and then her head snapped up,  
  
"Angel, my clothes!" She turned to point at the bedside, then at Angel who hadn't stopped.  
  
"I have spares in my car." Angel said. Walking through the corridor, feeling most of the hospital staff and patients' eyes on him as he carried Faith out the front door. He dropped her to her feet next to his car and smiled down at her, brushing a stray lock of dark hair out of her face. He leaned in, Faith's tongue traced her lips in anticipation of the kiss. Angel's eyes where bright and watched her carefully as she tilted her head slightly to the left. His lips where inches from hers, he could feel her breath on his lips. His hand ran up Faith's arm, he leaned in further, he felt the warmth of Faith's lips as they almost touched his own.  
  
"Yo. Start the car." Gunn walked out of the building loudly. Faith head pulled away from Angel's as she looked to Gunn. He tossed her jeans at her, "I found them, don't ask where the rest is." He explained, hopping over the side and into the passenger seat it the car. Angel revved the engine and was pulling away, Faith leaped into the car and they went whizzing down the highway.  
  
Faith pulled a sweater from under the seat. She saw Gunn looking at her in the mirror and she stuck her middle finger up,  
  
"Eyes on the road, unless you wanna lose them."  
  
"Ma'am." Gunn replied sarcastically, turning and just catching the glare Angel was giving him. "Sorry."  
  
Faith pulled her jeans on under the gown, then turned to face the back of the car as she slipped her robe off. In the mirror Angel caught a glimpse of the pale, creamy skin of her back and it was all he could do to keep the car from swerving. He'd never seen Faith naked before, but the tribal tattoo on back was so, completely familiar he was sure he must have seen it before. He focused back on the deserted road as Faith pulled the sweater over her bare chest. She turned and leaned on the front seats.  
  
"So, back to the hotel?" she smiled,  
  
"That's the plan." Gunn replied, smiling as Faith looked down. She shrugged and tore the bottom of the sweater open, then tied the two ends together to make a rather sexy little top. Angel cringed. That was one of his favourite sweaters.  
  
Willow was sat, cross-legged on the sofa in the foyer, nursing a cup of hot chocolate.  
  
"Gee, I hope it worked." Lorne muttered, the other nodded softly in agreement but nobody spoke. Everybody looked to the door as they heard a car screech to a halt outside. Gunn came waltzing in, opening both the double doors as he did. Angel and Faith were both still outside. They walked up the steps, close but not touching each other. Angel got to the door a fraction of a second before Faith and was met by a barrier. He growled slightly because it hurt when he walked into those things,  
  
"Nobody could have warned me?" he complained as everybody said in unison 'come in'. He walked in and smiled at Willow "Nice door lock."  
  
"I thought so." She beamed back, sipping on her chocolate,  
  
"Anyway, the storms cleared maybe you and Faith should head back to Sunnydale," Angel looked at the floor.  
  
"Sure." Willow nodded, standing, "But err, Angel?"  
  
"Yeah?" He looked up,  
  
"Where is she?" Angel's head shot around. The slayer was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**Review Replies**  
  
**Maineiac –** Foreshadowing is much fun I agree. {silly wink}. Also, Faith fighting in the buff, is there really any way she can fight that's better? Hehe  
  
**bsktballchik –** thanks and we plan to update again very soon, Seb has really sunk his teeth into this and is dying to write.  
  
**Shannon –** See, we didn't make you wait too long did we? I'm glad you're enjoying this so very much.  
  
**You-can-scream –** Don't worry – I can assure you Angel is under no spell. Although....I cannot guarantee there is not magic going on at all...  
  
**Flava –** I'm very glad  
  
**Fion –** we'll update again as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy reading what we're going to do with it. This is the turning chapter. 


	4. Forward To The Past

**Authors Notes**

_Review Replies at the bottom_

**Akasha -** Hey! Sorry for the long wait guys. Really didn't mean to keep you all in suspense for such a long time. No excuses, just a chapter as an apology. If you all want to keep up-to-date on the progress of a chapter, or writing, or hound me and Sebastian aka Angel into writing a new chapter go to my blog,

Without any further ado I raise the curtain and present to you, CHAPTER 4!

* * *

When Faith's eyes fluttered open, the world around her as black. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. She sat up and glanced around. Behind her there was a window, that had been boarded up, through a slight crack in the beams the moon shone into the room, illuminating a dress that was screwed up in the corner. This was the time Faith looked down and realised she was completely naked. She rolled her eyes and walked to the dress. She lifted it up and rat ran out from under the wrinkled material.

"Great." She muttered to herself as she pulled the dress on. She looked down and smoothed the dress down somewhat, "and to top it off, I look like I've escaped from a Jack The Ripper special". The dress was torn in several places and it smelt terrible. Faith sighed heavily and with some strength pulled the door open.

She blinked heavily as the bright light shone in from the joining room, there where people sat at tables and at a bar, which she was now stood behind. To top it off everybody was wearing the same type of clothing. Faith's mind started to spin as her eyes scanned the room. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto" she whispered to herself.

As she walked into the tavern several men turned to look at her, she ignored them all, trying to analyse the situation and how she got herself into it. A hand on her arm snapped her out of her thoughts, "Jesus" she hissed, pulling her arm forcefully away from the man. The man laughed and the rest of the men in the tavern turned to look at the exchange,

"Found a feisty one, 'av i love?" the man slurred, with a heavy Irish accent. Faith rolled her eyes and thought of saying something but just settled for a glare. The person obviously could not take the hint and snaked his arm around Faith's small waist, he leaned into her face, the smell of strong whisky making her cringe. In one swift move she grabbed and twisted the guys arm so he was turned facing the rest of the tavern and she was stood behind him, holding his arm in a position that if she were to move it another inch it would surely snap in two.

"Feel like answering some questions?" she whispered seductively in his ear, scanning the rest of the tavern to see if there was any threat coming from the men who were watching with wrapt interest. The man nodded quickly, the pain making his eyes water, "What's the year?" the tavern was filled with hush sniggers, the men obviously thinking she was crazy,

"S-seventeen fifty th-three ma'am", Faith's eyes widened at his answer and she let go, backing into the bar. Her eyes darted around the amused men that where all staring at her. She pushed herself away from the bar and fled into the street. The cobbled floor was smooth and warm against her bare feet, the air was warm, a night following a beautiful day. She walked along the street, her thoughts filled with panic. Not knowing how she got to the past, wondering how the hell she was going to get back. It was her daydreaming once again that caused her collision with a drunken young man.

"Shit, lady" the man slurred, Faith rolled her eyes wondering if any man was sober here, his being the second Irish accent she had heard she was lead to believe that she was in Ireland. "Watch where ye going, lass. Or you're gonna find yourself in a spot of bother? Yeah?"

Faith brushed off her torn dress and shook her head, ignoring the threat and walking away. Realisation dawned on her as whole body spun around to the spot where they had collided. The man was gone. Faith's eyes where wide.

"Angel?" she whispered to herself. She made a move to follow after him but something in the window next to her caught her eye. A dress, much nicer than the one she was wearing. Faith shrugged, walked to the door, which was not-surprisingly-locked at this hour and walked inside. Taking the dress of the display (which was merely an up righted, wooden table with a couple of well placed nails) and dressed, "when in Rome" was the last words she said before she took some shoes from a shelf inside the store and left the shop in search of Angel.

She casually walked down the narrow street, aware that every time somebody passed they were staring at her. Faith wasn't sure where she was going, her feet where on auto-pilot, her mind fixated on being lost in another time and place. Somehow she had convinced herself that if she found Angel, he would know what to do. But then her mind wandered and centred around the fact that he was probably Angelus. But surely if he where, he would have ripped her throat out earlier. It was then it hit Faith she new nothing of Angel's past and made a vow to ask him about it - if she ever got out of Ireland, or Seventeen Fifty-Three.

"Lookie, lookie" a voice startled Faith out of her thoughts and her head snapped up to see a woman stood in front of her. The woman's hair was a disgusting yellow colour and a dark, red lipstick stained her swollen lips. There was dirt smeared all over her and she looked and smelled, as if she'd spent a night in a barn. Her accent was common and heavily Irish and it was all Faith could do to understand her. Faith was so busy staring in disgust she didn't notice the two people creeping up behind her until they grabbed her arms. The woman walked closer, "Looks like we've found a right 'un, lads." As she smiled her face contorted and Faith's reflexes took over. She swung her legs up and they connected with the girls jaw, sending her sprawling backwards. The men's grips tighten but Faith managed to roughly pull her arm free, knocking the vampire holding her right arm. He growled and stumbled back, composed himself and then lunged onto Faith. His friends watched him explode into dust as Faith stepped back, throwing a stake into the heart of the other male vampire.

"Glad to see everything still works." Faith internally congratulated herself on having the foresight to snap a leg off a wooden stool in the shop. The female vampire was now standing and looking bemused at Faith,

"You're not the slayer, girl. Who might you be then?" she drawled, Faith shrugged innocently,

"Unlucky for you. Turns out. I am the slayer." Faith smirked, "I'm a big bad, gunna kill you now slayer." Faith lunged and knocked the vampire to the floor, raised her stake and smiled, "See?" she asked, driving the stake through the girls chest. Before she exploded, she hissed,

"You'll burn for this."

Somewhere, deeply hidden in the hills of Galway, the master screamed for his fallen childe.

* * *

**Present Day**

* * *

"Where is she?" Angel growled, slamming his hand onto the desk that Willow was cowering behind.

"I don't know." She insisted, still with some force left in her voice. She wondered to herself where it was because she couldn't find it, and now Angel was looking at her through angry, yellow eyes she was all but passed out in fear.

"Angel. It's not her fault. Leave her be," Wesley spoke firmly from behind Angel. A good distance behind. "We'll find out what happened to Faith", Angel de-vamped and looked somewhat apologetic.

"I'm sorry - but, just" Angel breathed deeply to keep the vampire inside him at bay, "find her." Willow nodded and then looked brighter,

"Hey guys, I remember a spell - that Anya taught me..well, you see it might work," Willow smiled reassuringly, Wesley nodded,

"Are you sure you feel up to this?" he asked, genuinely concerned. Willow nodded and looked at Fred, who hadn't said a word since all this had started,

"I'm going to need you're help."

"My help, are you sure? Because I mean - Wesley is good with" Fred stopped ranting at the encouraging look Willow was giving her and smiled reluctantly "sure." Willow smiled warmly and turned to Wesley,

"Ingredients?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna need some white crégotoí sand and some crushed Braxtox bone. Plus five church candles and" she stopped as she looked to the floor, "oh look, there's already a pentagram" she looked up "guys, why is there a pentagram?" They all looked away and she shook the question out her mind. Wesley went to get the ingredients. Willow instructed Fred to sit on one side of the pentagram as she sat on the other, cross-legged and scribbled some words down on a piece of paper that she then handed to Fred. When Wesley returned, the substances already mixed together in a single jar Willow took them from him and started to control her breathing. Wesley lay a candle on each point of the pentagram and then lit them. Willow opened her eyes, which where now glowing red and reached her hands out. Fred put hers out, palm up-wards so that hers and Willow fingers where touching and started to chant,

"We summon Eryishon, find what is lost" they both said in unison, Wesley's eyes widened in recognition.

"Angel" he whispered, "she's going to need something that belongs to Faith", Angel nodded and walked out, coming back in he tossed Faith's hospital gown in the pentagram. Willow didn't even acknowledge it. Her head shot up to the heavens and the flames increased to twice their original size. Fred looked slightly worried but said the spell with Willow,

"Eryishon. K'shala. Meh-uhn."

Fred and Willows fingers almost touched,

"Diprecht. Doh-thenlo nu-eryshon," Willow picked up the bottle of sand and brings it to her and Fred's hands which are hovering over the night-shirt. "Child to the mother" Willow said, Fred's hand joined Willow's on the bottle,

"River to the sea" Fred continued,

"Eryishon, hear my prayer," Willow said as her eyes fluttered closed, together they tipped the bottle, the second the first grain of sand hit the atmosphere in the room changed. The air went heavier, the light dimmed. Fred and Willow opened there eyes and both looked at Wesley who was watching expectantly. When nothing happened they both looked to Angel, who, if it was possible had gone even paler.

"She's in Galway..." Willow looked at Fred and then at Angel, "In Seventeen Fifty-Three", it was Wesley's turn to pale,

"The year you were turned," he stated, more to Fred and Willow than to Angel. It was probably for the best as everything Angel had been feeling for the past few days fell into place and the memories flooded his brain.

He didn't look at anyone else, just staring. He saw it all back in his mind. He open his mouth as if to speak. "Just a fewmonths before I was turned... I met this strange girl," he started. "It's still all blurry to me..."

He sits down in a chair. "Where should I start?"

* * *

**1753**

* * *

"There is a slayer," the master growled, sending ripples of fear through the hoard of vampires surrounding him "we must leave immediately, it isn't safe here any longer" he looks around at his children, his slaves, making eye contact with each, individual vampire. "I have heard that London is in disarray, I feel that would be an ideal place for us to hunt."

There was a grunt of general approval throughout the group.

"There is a boat in the harbour, going to London, it leaves at 6 this morning," choked a small voice from somewhere in the middle of the crowd.

"Very good, so be it. We leave for London immediately." The announcement sent a wave of excitement through the crowd, all pleased with the prospect of a change of scenery. There was one distorted face, however that remained blank. Blonde curls falling angrily over her yellow eyes.

Alone, cold and tired Faith walked into yet another pub. Her eyes scanned the many men sat around. She was close to turning out of the pub, when through the smoke-filled haze she saw what it was she had been searching for.

Angel.

Her dark eyes widened slightly and she was about to move towards the vampire, who was looking less like the man she knew by each sip of his drink, when a heavy hand wrapped itself around her waist.

"Dance," the voice commanded. Faith remained still as the man grinded against her back. Her eyes made contact with Angel's and the two just stared as the man groped Faiths body in a way that Faith deduced him as nothing more than a 6th grade virgin. Angel stood, eyes still locked with Faith's and her walked over to her. The older man stopped his abuse on Faith's body and nodded a greeting to Angel who, finally broke eye contact with Faith and glared at the man.

With a begrudging nod the stranger left, leaving Angel's familiar form towering over Faith.

"Better be careful, missy." He spoke with an unusual clarity, "I might get to thinking you been trailing me." Faith couldn't help shiver at the low tones of his voice. Partly from arousal, and partly from the fear that if this was in fact Angelus, she could be in quite a lot of trouble. "But then" he sighed, his breath so close Faith could feel it on her lips "i would have to ask why a pretty young thing like yourself, would be following me."

Faith looked up once again, directly into his questioning eyes, "You looked familiar," Faith stated, pleased that it wasn't in fact an all out lie.

"I rarely make familiarities with thief's," a smile played at his thin lips, it was his turn to look down into questioning eyes, "You must be fool enough to believe that I would not notice that impressive dress from Berny Gumbalts shop display." Faith's eyes hardened and she was about to start lying to save her arse when Angel continued, a smirk in his voice, "Yay needn't have gone to all that trouble ta impress me youngin' i'd be more impressed at seeing ya with no dress"

"It could be arranged" the retort was out of Faith's mouth before she had chance to think about it, she was aware of many sets of drunken eyes land upon her with an odd approval, she saw dark eyebrows raise over dark hazel eyes and cursed her tongue to a thousand hells. Luckily Angel looked more amused than anything,

"Well then, i suggest we go for a walk before any of these fine men do some arranging." There was a clink of glasses raised in his name, and Faith was being guided out of the door by a large hand placed in the small of her back.

"Liam, what of your drink?" the bartender asked, a scowl decorating already ugly features,

Liam, somewhere deep in the back of Faith's mind, warning bells sounded.

She didn't hear them.

"Stick it on me' tab"

With that Faith and 'Liam' disappeared into the dark, Irish night.

* * *

**Review Replies**

**The Shadower –** again I owe you a lot. Without you the story would have probably been forgotten since I had no motivation to write. You provided that, if you would like, I'll dedicate the next chapter to you. Also I feel that everybody who enjoys this story owes you a lot also.

**You-can-scream –** well if I told you all the answers now it would be pointless you reading any more wouldn't it giggle I'm glad people are getting questions though, it makes everything so much more fun to write because it adds to the satisfaction of tying up loose ends.

**maliek –** thank you, glad you like it.

**TragicallyDepressed –** yes, I've noticed not many people write Faith/Angel...that really is a tragedy in itself...

**Diana –** here it is

**Maineiac –** continuing, I cannot thank you enough for the constructive criticism, I really do like getting it. It really helps evolve my writing and where reviews saying 'I love it update more' are very flattering, they do little to shape and improve my skills as a writer. Thank you. Also...i like that word...lush!


	5. Shadow In The Night

**Authors Notes**

**(**_Review Replies at the bottom_**)**

**Akasha -** Second update in two days. I'd say that's something to be grateful for. Call it a thank you for being so patient. It's much more exciting to write now we're finally getting somewhere and the plot is developing. Please visit our website Angel aka Melek designed it being the talented guy that he is and it is home to 17Whatever! Thanks a lot guys. Oh and please, please review!

**geocities . com / whatever1753**

* * *

**Present Day**  
  
"So that was it. A girl, apparently Faith, although the name Faith doesn't sound quite right" Angel pondered, looking down at his hands, "I can't remember much, it's hazy." Eyelids closed over brown eyes and Angel sighed heavily. "I can't remember much of my old life at all."  
  
"When does Darla show up?" Willow asked, sitting cross-legged on Angel's desk, a huge book in her lap, her attention thoroughly fixed on the vampire.  
  
"I'll get to that later. Not for a while I don't think" Angel moved his hands up to massage his temples. Trying to remember in any detail was giving him a headache. "Wesley, try and find out anything you can"  
  
"I'll try but," he paused and looked crestfallen "I'd need the watchers diaries to come up with anything substantial."  
  
"You remember that cupboard in my room. The one I told you never to open. Open it." Angel tossed a single gold key at Wesley who nodded his consent and disappeared up the stairs. Angel steepled his fingers and looked at the witch on his desk. "Fred. Try and do some research using the other books we have, find out anything you can about the vampire activity of that year."  
  
"Of course" Fred pulled out another big book and started to look through it. Willow's eyes met Angel's and she silently asked if there was anything she could do. Angel smiled a forced smile and shook his head,  
  
"Save your strength Will, chances are, we'll need some heavy magic by the night's out."  
  
"Yeah. I'm magic-girl" Willow smiled sweetly,  
  
"Angel? Was there a slayer that year?" Fred looked up from her book, Angel thought for a second and shook his head,  
  
"No. There wasn't because I remember killing her in London," the two girls looked aghast "as a test. To prove I was strong." Willow and Fred still looked disgusted. "I was Angelus. Evil. Remember?" he added, his voice laced with sarcasm. The other two looked away sheepishly.  
  
Willow remembered Angelus all to well.  
  
"Well, the Master, he was the oldest vampire on record, kind of like a cult leader. All the vampires answered to him. He left Ireland, unexpectedly, he fled to - "  
  
"London." Angel interrupted. Fred nodded,  
  
"How did you know?" she asked,  
  
"I met up with him there" he replied. Cold hatred in his eyes. Wesley was just in time to catch the very last part of the conversation. Fred was looking pale.  
  
"Angel."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It was the Powers That Be!" Wesley explained, walking to the desk, Willow jumped off just in time for him to drop two very heavy books on the desk. "This mentions to some extent a girl, a pawn more or less, being sent back to tip the scale of good versus evil. It mentions a boy, destined to become a hero. Even then, they had plans for you Angel. Everything was planned. You were turned because of Faith." Everyone was quiet, looking at Angel, mouths slightly ajar. Angel was quiet, processing the information as best her could.  
  
"She was the reason Darla got to me" Angel sighed, as if remembering a dream, "she left the night I was turned. I don't remember much, just" he paused and traced his claddagh ring with his finger. "She left and I was upset. I went out drinking," he sighed, "I saw Darla in the alley. I wanted to hurt the girl. To get away from her. Not to - " he stopped "she did her job well."  
  
Wesley, Fred and Willow were all quiet.  
  
Nobody dared break Angel memories.  
  
"Wesley?" Angel's head snapped up, worry plaguing his eyes  
  
"Yes?" Wes choked out, a little surprised.  
  
"Do the books say anything interesting about how to get her back?"  
  
"I'll look"  
  
"Do that." Wesley once again took the two books upstairs. This time Fred followed. Willow touched Angel's shoulder gently and Angel smiled "you should help too." The redhead nodded and also disappeared upstairs. Leaving Angel brooding alone once more.

* * *

**1753

* * *

**

Faith looked around Liam's large hall. She was impressed to say the least; she had never pictured Angel as the type with money.  
  
"It's all me fathers" Liam spoke, as if reading her mind, Faith raised an eyebrow and smiled, he stepped close to her, looking down into her eyes. She smiled, looking back into the eyes of a man who had seen no wars. Killed no people. Saved no lives.  
  
_Had never met Buffy Summers.  
_  
That last thought send a small thrill through her body, if tonight happened, Buffy could no longer claim to have gotten to this man first. It was almost enough to make Faith go through with it.  
  
However she resisted. She didn't want her first time with Angel to be like this. She wanted it to be perfect, in LA, with Angel not Liam.  
  
That's why when Liam leaned in, almost touching his lips to hers, Faith took a step backwards. He looked at her, confusion in his eyes and her expression softened.  
  
"Why missy, don't be tellin' me you're untouched now?"  
  
Faith was slightly taken aback, 'well' she thought to herself 'when in Rome',  
  
"Yes." A smirk crept across Liam's lips and he nodded.  
  
"Well then I better be treating you right." He stated and called for the maid. Much to her astonishment he asked her to set up a spare room for his guest. She of course, agreed and disappeared up the large, wooden staircase. Faith watched her, "It occurs to me, I don't even know ye name?" he asked, tilting her head slightly to the left,  
  
"Fai - " Faith managed to catch herself. Who knew what repercussions this would have on the future? She hadn't even thought about that before. She shivered; more glad than ever she hadn't slept with Liam. Who knew what that might change? She could have been stuck here forever.  
  
"Faye? That's a pretty name for a pretty girl" he smiled and stepped forward, Faith was all prepared to step back, when he lifted her hand from her body and kissed in tenderly, "Well then Miss Faye. If ye be following me, I shall show ye to yer room"

* * *

**Present Day**

* * *

"Wesley, there has to be something!" Fred gasped, slamming yet another book closed,  
  
"The text is completely devoid of anything that could get her back," Wesley sighed, slumping down into a chair and massaging his temples, much the same as Angel has done earlier.  
  
"We have to get her back.." Fred muttered, tears showing in her eyes "we can't just leave her there" Wesley looked up at the younger girl sympathetically.  
  
"Fred, it's the Powers That Be. They're in charge of this, we have no control."  
  
"But what if - "  
  
"No" Fred was cut of by Angel's firm tone, "we will get her back," he ordered. Fred and Wesley nodded. Something in his voice told them he was in no mood to be questioned. £She is not safe there"  
  
"Why?" Willow asked, but one look from Angel told her all the answers she needed. "Do you remember doing it?" she looked up, Angel shook his head.  
  
"I don't remember a lot of things about my first day as a vampire. I'm starting to understand why" he spoke, casting his eyes heavenwards.

* * *

**1753**

* * *

Faith followed Liam up the hard wooden stairs; she followed him down a corridor lit only by a few well-placed candles. She followed him until they were stood outside large oak doors.  
  
"This would be it?" she asked, placing her hand on Liam's arm. He stopped, looked down at her and smiled.  
  
"Ey ma'am." He replied, she nodded and wished him goodnight.  
  
He left as soon as he closed her into the room. It was a large room; the biggest double bed Faith had ever seen was in the middle. The drapes around it appeared to be very thick and expensive. Faith could make out some doors on the other side of the room, which were open and must have led onto a veranda.  
  
Walking slowly towards the bed Faith saw there was a nightgown laid out and a dressing gown next to it. Faith smiled to herself. Slowly she pulled of her clothes and pulled the nightgown down over her head. It was silk. Faith was just starting to realise, just how rich Liam was.  
  
Faith was s busy revelling in the luxurious feeling of the blankets that she failed to see a blonde figure standing on the veranda, watching the very first vampire slayer she had ever seen, wondering why her Master had run so far from a little girl.  
  
Wouldn't he be proud if she brought him the head of a slayer.  
  
All she had to do, was work out the best way to hurt the chosen one.  
  
Everybody had an Achilles' heal.  
  
All Darla needed was time.  
  
_Luckily_, she had all the time in the world.

* * *

**Review Replies  
**  
**The Shadower –** the hard thing about writing about people disappearing into the past is that you have to work with one simple rule, it's all happened before. The pure fact that if she had gone back in time and affected that one fact of Liam being turned, Angel wouldn't be alive in the future to miss the slayer, would he?  
  
Do not worry, I'm very cautious with time travel but you just need to know one thing.  
  
Everything has happened before.  
  
**artwork -** here it is, you didn't have to wait too long.  
  
**Blackie –** well that's fine and dandy because I can't wait to write more of the story! 


	6. Looking For A Weakness

**Authors Notes**

_**(**Review replies at the bottom**)**_

**Akasha - **Well, another chapter. Sorry it took so long, but we've both been busy with other things. Melek spent most of last week canoodling with his girlfriend. _sigh_ he has a new story, you can find it under the username Melek (it's in my favourite authors). It's an AU, Buffy season eight. I'm beta'ing that for him so it's much the same style as this. Check it out if you get bored between our chapters. Next chapter will be out soon - but i'm expecting an avalanche of reviews for this chapter before we post that....clear? _shows the bribes she's brought_

Luv ya lots, like jelly tots.

**Melek -** Time reveals more every step of the way... Will Angel findly found out the truth? Wot's Faith part in all this? Stay tuned...ppz thx for the reviews... you give the power to do this... we do this for you...

****

* * *

**Present Day**  
  
The room was dark, hidden in shadows, effulged in darkness. An echo of a whisper was the only noise. There is a cube in the middle of the room, although in the darkness it cannot be seen.  
  
A fire a top the cube lights.  
  
Two sets of eyes turn towards the light source.  
  
Angel falls face first into the room.  
  
"Thanks Lorne" he muttered, stood, brushed the dirt off his clothes and turned to face the oracles.  
  
"It has returned" one spoke,  
  
"It's name is Angel" growled the vampire,  
  
"The champion has come once more," the female voice hissed,  
  
"But what does it want?" was the next question,  
  
"It wants what has been sent away"  
  
"Ah, what the fates have arranged,"  
  
"Leave now champion, nothing can be done."  
  
"I'm not leaving until I know where Faith is" came a clear voice from the vampire, who had managed to stop listening to the hypnotic sounds of the new oracles and voice his opinion,  
  
"It demands but has no offering"  
  
"Tell me what I want to know and you'll get your gift" Angel explained,  
  
"There is little to tell champion" Angel stepped forwards but found himself flying back into the wall before he could say a word,  
  
"Must you do that?" Angel growled, standing up again,  
  
"Send it away, it has no use here" the female whispered, the male regarded him coldly,  
  
"The past must not be changed" he spoke cryptically, "You love her now when you must love her then"  
  
"Nothing can be done. She is gone" she female murmured.  
  
"There must be a way to get her back" Angel yelled, the oracles turned to him,  
  
"Do not forget who's company you keep" the warning was issued by the male,  
  
"What will be, has been" the female stated, she then clicked her fingers and Angel was falling once more. This time he landed in the main Lobby of his hotel.  
  
"So, anything enlightening?" Lorne asked, offering his hand to help the vampire up, Angel just glared.  
  
"Did they tell you anything?" Wesley asks, shifting against the wall,  
  
"Do they ever?" Angel growled, storming into his office. The other two followed, "just some stuff about it being out of their hands." Angel scowled then recited "_what will be has been_"  
  
"What?" Wesley's head snapped up.  
  
"What will be has been, that's what she said."  
  
"She?" Lorne asked,  
  
"I'll be back" Wesley rushed out of the room leaving Lorne and Angel wondering what was going on.  
  
With nothing to focus on Angel tried to reign in upon his memories.

* * *

**1753**  
  
Sitting in a tavern, in the corner, hidden by shadows Darla was thinking up a way she could get to the slayer. She had never fought a slayer before and found the challenge to be quite refreshing. She had always liked to play on people weaknesses, make people break before she killed them. She had sired a few vampires and tried to impress this passion upon them, but non had shared it quite to the extent she did.  
  
The blonde vampire saw no difference between breaking a person and breaking a slayer.  
  
The girl was young and looked fragile.  
  
A smile played at her lips.  
  
She saw no reason why this girl wouldn't break as easily as the rest of them. 

She just had to find the weakness.

After all, everybody had a weakness.

* * *

Faith awoke to the sound of rustling in her room, she sat bolt upright and looked to the young coloured girl who was picking up her dress,  
  
"Oh, good mornin' miss" she stood straight and regarded Faith who looked at her questioningly, "sorry, I didn't be meaning to wake you,"  
  
"It's alright" Faith answered, watching the girl fold her only dress over her arm and turn around,  
  
"Wait – "Faith asked, "That's my only dress" she explained to the girls confused expression,  
  
"Oh, that's quite alright miss, Master Liam has sent another dress up for you," Faith looked to the chair next to her bed and saw that indeed, there was another dress lying there,  
  
"Erm, thanks" Faith offered, scanning the expensive material of the dress,  
  
"I was to inform you, should you be awake that Master Liam takes breakfast in the garden on days such as these. He's already awake, likes to watch the sun rise."  
  
"Thank you....." Faith paused for a name,  
  
"Aghna" (**Pronounced Ee-nah**)  
  
"Thank you Aghna"  
  
"You're welcome miss," Faith smiled and the girl left.  
  
The slayer dressed quickly and ran a silver brush through her hair. She smoothed down the folds of her dress which was made of silk, lace and the softest cotten Faith had ever felt. Happy with her appearence she walked downstairs and managed to find the gardens easily.  
  
She stoped a moment to admire Liam. His hair was tied back with a green velvet tie. He was less bulky than he was as a vampire, she could she his defined muscle through his thin white top. He wasn't quite as broad as the vampire she knew.  
  
Stepping out of the doorway she caught Liam's attention,  
  
"Ah, good mornin' Miss Faye" Faith smiled and reminded herself of her alias name,  
  
"Could we drop the 'miss' or would you have me calling you Mister Liam?" Faith smiled, Liam smiled back,  
  
"Nay, I see no reason for formalities I was just being poilte ma'am." Liam's eyes unconsiously swept over the slayer and for the first time Faith was completely aware of just how much cleavage the dress showed.  
  
Liam seemed to catch himself and looked away, "That dress looks nice on ye"  
  
"Thank you" Faith smiled, sitting down at the small outdoor table, "I slept wonderfully," she added, trying to make conversation,  
  
"Did ye now?" Liam, took a bite of plain toast "Nice ta know." The two sat in silence for a while.  
  
Liam trying not to notice the wonder that was Faith's boosam, and Faith trying desperatly not to notice the fact Liam had the top few buttons of his shirt open which gave her a tantalising preview of the tanned and slim chest that was beneath.  
  
"Would you like anything else Master Liam?" a servant that Faith didn't recognise asked,  
  
"No thank you, Mary. That'll be enough. Though maybe Miss Faye would like something " he looked up to Faith who shook her head,  
  
"No thank you." After the girl had walked away Faith turned to look at Liam, "two servants? My we do have some money" Faith grinned, Liam looked up a small smile playing at his lips,  
  
"No, we just be keeping an eye on her while her owners are taking a trip to England." Liam's eyes found their way once again to Faith's plunging neckline. Faith noticed this and the two sat there for a while longer.  
  
"How 'bout a walk around town?" Liam asked, ignoring the growing tighness of his trousers.  
  
"That'd be nice" Faith smiled. The walked out the house and Faith explianed to Liam that she was from out of town. Liam proceeded to give her the grand tour of Galway. Faith wasn't sure at what point of the day Liam's arm had snaked around her waist, nor at what point her head had started to rest upon his shoulder. However as she and Liam stood and watched the sunset over the forest no more than a mile from Liam's home she found she could care less.

* * *

**Reviews**

****

**Amy** – sorry you had to wait so long, we've both been rather distracted.

**The Shadower** – as always I adore you reviews, I love the insight you give me. I also love the way you tell me what parts you like – that's great because I can write more of them. I hope you like the Liam and Faith angle, I'm trying to make it different than Angel and Faith would be, but still being the same...if you get me?

**ragewitch900** – hmmm? Cordy and Conner? I'll have a look around for them and see where they've gotten too. Wesley a bad guy? Hmm, that wasn't in the storyplan, but hey, who knows. When is Wesley ever completely on Angel's side? And with that grudge on Faith – I wonder if he's going to want to get her back...even if he does find the answer.

**Whispers ** - I can and I have.

**Blackie** - more is here, more will come.

**Sebastian (aka Melek, aka Angel)** – well, I agree. The stories doing great. I can't wait to write more so hurry up and write your part sweetie! Can't keep them waiting to long. Besides I want them to hurry and see what we have planned. Think they'll be surprised? evil giggle

**gEmInI** – thank you, and this is us continuing.

**Gemini** - glad you like it, sorry you had to wait so very long.


	7. Leather Underwear

**Authors Notes**

**(**_Review Replies at the bottom_**)**  
  
**Akasha –** Well, here it is the first kiss! Yey! I can't tell you how much I enjoyed writing this, I think I enjoy Faith/Liam even more than Faith/Angel. Unfortunately, has really been acting up lately...if anybody else has noticed that. I couldn't log in for a whole day!  
  
Please review this chapter......I'm craving and I feel un-loved.  
  
Also not to sound whiney but I have a tummy ache {_sob_}

Another thing - Mad points to anybody who can spot the first season Buffy quote!!

* * *

The walk back to Liam's house wasn't a long one. Faith's arm hand slipped around Liam's waist and to any onlookers the two looked like a married couple, both completely content in each others company.  
  
From the shadows somebody watched.  
  
Seeing they where in the middle of town, still a half a mile away from Liam's home, Faith was surprised when he stopped. Looking up into the dark brown eyes that she was getting far to used to seeing Faith opened her mouth to say something, but Liam pressed a gentle finger to her lips.  
  
She was silent.  
  
He leaned in gently and pressed his warm lips against hers, surprised Faith's eyes widdened and Liam pulled away smiling.  
  
"I've been wantin' to do that all day" he spoke. Faith, now over her initial shock smiled,  
  
"I think you should do it again" Faith suggested, her pink tongue darting out to moisten her lips. Liam hadn't moved his face very far from Faith's at all, their noses were practically touching. He was leaning forward and Faith could feel his breath upon her now wet lips. Liam's eyes had followed the trace of her tongue and once more he felt the familiar tightening in his trousers.  
  
"Is that so?" his voice was husky and his eyes where dark with passion. Faith wondered if anybody had ever made him wait before, he seemed more like the type to...well..'plunge and move on'.  
  
"Yes" she said, clearly, her own eyes slightly glazed from the close proximity. Her body was flush against Liam's and she wondered if he realised she could feel _everything_. "I'm sure it would be lonely on its own," the sentence was quiet and she trailed off as she noticed the wrapt attention Liam was giving her lips. Letting them curl into a seductive smirk she leaned in very close to him, her mouth almost touching his, she inhaled deeply, and smashed her lips into his.  
  
If Liam was waiting for a sign that had been it, because his hand moved to Faith's lower back and he pulled her up towards him. Her mouth opened and their tongues met for the first time. Faith felt herself alive with adrenaline, her hands snaked up underneath the not-yet-vampire's arms and rested on his shoulders then she lifted herself up slightly and tilted her head to allow Liam better access into her eager mouth.  
  
All but one thought fled from her head as the hand that was not resting in the small of her back moved to the back of her neck and under her hair and deepened the kiss even more.  
  
Kissing Liam was nothing like kissing Angel.  
  
In an amount of time that Faith deduced as being far too short, they needed to break away from air. They could only prevent it for so long and as Faith felt her lungs burn, she knew she needed to pull away. Leaving her hands were they where she pulled away and panted slightly.  
  
The two looked at each other, both of their mouths where bruised and swollen, their eyes dark with passion. Both had their mouths open while the tried to make up for their lack of oxygen.  
  
They kept eye contact.  
  
Liam was the first to speak, Faith was worried speaking would break the spell that had been created in that short space of time, she was surprised when it didn't,  
  
"Wow..." was all the man had to say, it was raspy with need and between that, the swollen lips that she'd helped bruise and the dark eyes were all it took to send a shiver through the slayer.  
  
"Yeah" suddenly, Faith was stuck by how wrong this all was. She was not supposed to be with this man. She was supposed to be back home. He was supposed to become evil and kill and torture. He was supposed to regain his soul and then meet Buffy and then herself.  
  
Liam's kiss was so much different from Angel. When Angel's lips touched hers she felt safe, completely and totally sheltered from any danger. When Liam's lips touched hers, she felt like she would die if she didn't have more of him.  
  
Angel kissed with a power and a confidence that came from being as old as he was.  
  
Liam kissed with a passion that came from wanting everything right then and there.  
  
Faith was at a loss to decide which she liked better.  
  
All she knew that was the last time Angel kissed her, she hadn't felt the gentle pulse of his heart speed up in his chest to beat in time with her own.  
  
Liam lifted his chin off its newly found place on top of Faith's head and pulled slightly away from the smaller girl. She looked up, broken from her thoughts, into eyes that, although still thick with passion, showed concern at her silence.  
  
"That was _incredible_" she smiled and moved away, entwining her fingers with Liam's.  
  
"T'was indeed" Liam answered turning and walking home. Faith leaned into him and the couple resumed their previous positions.  
  
The two walked off into the darkness.  
  
From the shadows, somebody smiled.

* * *

**Present Day**

* * *

Absently Angel's fingers moved up to his lips,  
  
"Something wrong?" Lorne asked, looking up at his boss who looked lost.  
  
"I just," Angel paused, "there's something I need to remember but I can't"  
  
"Well it's your mind cupcake, I can't delve in there for you," Lorne went back to reading,  
  
"What have I told you about the pastry nicknames – wait" Angel stopped, Lorne looked up, "You _can_ read my mind..." Lorne went greener,  
  
"Listen, Angel, I don't mean to be rude but listening to you mutalating another rendition of Barry Manilowe's _Mandy_, is not on the top of my to do list"  
  
"**Please**" Angel rubbed his temples; Lorne looked to the ceiling and then back down again,  
  
"Okay," he sighed and put down the magazine,  
  
Angel cleared his throat then looked down at the table, "_Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand if I saw you in heaven? I'll find my way through night and day, 'Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven._" When he looked up Lorne was trying very hard not to cringe, "Well?"  
  
"Well, angel-cakes don't give up you're day job" Lorne shook his head,  
  
"_I meant my reading_!" Angel growled, a little of his pride hurt  
  
"Oh, right" Lorne looked at his boss "Well, You're pretty torn up about Faith vanishing," Angel gave him a look that clearly said 'd'uh' "but about the rest I don't know, you're skills of repressing amaze me – there's no Faith in your past" Lorne sighed "but that was some kiss."  
  
"**Whoa**! Who's kissing who in here?" Willow asked, looking between the vampire and the demon warily,  
  
"Nobody's _kissing_ anybody" Angel blushed,  
  
"Sure sugar, but if I ever read that memory again, I might just find myself unable to resist" Lorne winked and then walked out the office. Angel looked crossed between total humiliation and fear at what Lorne had implied.  
  
"_Willow_" his voice cracked slightly and she grinned, "any news on the Faith front?"  
  
"No" Willow stopped and then looked up, her eyes alight "do you know that in her room we found _leather_ underwear" Willow bit back a giggle as Angel's eyes glazed over for a second before he shook his head and composed himself. Willow mentally noted the subtle shifting in his chair.  
  
"Why were you looking through Faith's things?"  
  
"For clues" Willow explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The red head sat in the seat that Lorne had just vacated and looked at the vampire that had killed her goldfish.  
  
Angel looked at the girl; it suddenly struck him that the child that sat in front of him was older than Faith. He cringed telling himself that Willow was not a child, but to him she seemed so young.  
  
"Willow?"  
  
"Yeah?" she looked up, her eyes hoping to please,  
  
"What spell did you use exactly?"  
  
"For the door locks?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Erm, it was along the same principle as the one we used back when......" she trailed off looking away guiltily,  
  
"I turned evil?"  
  
"Yes, anyway, I added a few things of my own and made it stronger....." Willow stopped trying to remember "I called upon the four elements, Curarea his verbes, a aditus recrissus est. Curarea his herbes, a aditus est" she recited,  
  
"Four elements and" Angel paused and then slammed his hand on the desk, Willow jumped, "Sorry, I suck at Latin." Willow nodded and looked away.  
  
"Sorry I couldn't be of more help."  
  
"It's okay" Angel sighed, "I need her back Willow" Angel's head dropped into his hands,  
  
"I know" Willow stood and placed a careful hand on his shoulder, "I know."  
  
Willow's mind drifted back to Tara and she vowed with a new strengthened resolution in her heart that she was going to get Faith back.

* * *

**Review Replies**  
  
**Gemini-moon1** – here you go, sorry it took so long. I've had it written for a while but Melek has been MIA!  
  
**The Shadower** - {_slaps_} bad server. Of course Angel's going to keep looking for Faith....hehe, he lurves her! Oooohh, a theory. I like it, I'd tell you if it was close to base or not...but hey I wouldn't want to spoil it for ya! The oracles was my favourite part to write, they totally kick-arse. Took me a while to actually get them in character while being different....I had to watch "I Will Remember You" like...fifty times....not just to see Angel running naked passed a well-placed beam {_whistle_}. I miss Doyle. (_RIP – poor thing_).  
  
**tp96** - thanks for your insight...you have to remember that with Angel before, his mind was somewhat confused so he really was not himself poor dear.  
  
**Thanks for the reviews and please, please keep it up. They mean a lot.  
  
PS. How would you all feel about a Buffy cameo?!  
  
Peace xxx**


	8. Breakfast & Time Differences

**

* * *

**

17Whatever

* * *

**Authors Note :** A lot has happened in the past year that we're not going to go into as an authors note.

Melek still writes this story but with somebody else now.

Due to very special circumstances this story has been abandoned for what we felt was an appropriate amount of time to be respectful. We apologise for the wait but we hope you can understand where we are comming from and respect our feelings in this matter.

Updates, will of course resume their regularity and this story will indeed continue and end and we hope that you'll enjoy the effort we put into our chapter.

We hope you enjoy the story the same and hope that together, we can live up to the legacy that the original author, Amanda Jameson, has helped create.

**We continue this story in dedication and remembrance of Amanda Jameson.**

Manda, we both love and miss you and hope you'll be with us in inspiring and guiding us with this story and the stories to come.

So without further ado, we shall continue the story and although the styles of writing may be quite different, we hope that you will continue with us on Faith and Angel's adventure.

X Melek & Asisa x

* * *

**1753

* * *

**

The next morning, Faith arose from one of the best night's sleep she could remember having in a long time. However, thinking back to her more recent residence she was hardly surprised. Sitting up in the bed, she was slightly wary about seeing the veranda doors wide open. She pulled the blankets up slightly higher, surprising herself with her newly developed modesty.

Letting the blankets fall once more to her waist, she pushed them further and swung her legs off the end of the bed, standing her thin nightgown fell over her legs and to below her knees. She took some cautious steps towards the balcony, but seeing nothing out there she turned back into the room.

She dressed, because once more somebody had kindly laid a new, apparently expensive dress over the chaiselongue. After she had put said dress on, the dress was red, cream, and very heavy. Faith, fixed her dark hair in the mirror, noting that soon, it would need washing and made her way downstairs.

"Good morning" the source of the curt phrase as she reached the bottom of the stairs was a tall, dark-haired man.

"Hello" she smiled politely, not knowing who this person was but feeling slightly self-conscious under his superior stare.

**

* * *

Present

* * *

**

Wesley stood against the doorframe observing his boss with a careful eye. Angel was sitting back in his recliner. His brown eyes were closed and he was deep in thought, in memories.

"Angel," Wesley spoke softly, not wanting to startle the vampire, though as Angel's posture hadn't changed he realised how absurd a notion that was. Of course, Angel had known he'd been there from the second he arrived. The older man could probably smell him. Heck, he could probably hear his heartbeat from a mile away.

"What's the matter Wesley?" he asked, his voice belaying his exhausted frustration.

"We've been reading up" he informed the darker haired man, taking a seat opposite the vampire, a desk in-between the two. Angel noted the unconscious decision on Wesley's part to place distance but decided to let it go un-mentioned for now. "It turns out there might be more complications to this whole situation than we thought." At this, Angel's eyes opened but he said nothing. "Well, as far as the time is concerned." Angel raised an eyebrow but still didn't speak. "We're just, well" Wesley hesitated.

"Spit it out Wesley." Angel's patience was running thin and Wesley's obvious hesitation was starting to worry him.

"Time has a habit of passing differently. Between dimensions I mean. And, well, Faith would technically be in a different dimension.Becausein our dimension that time has passed. Gone.Never to return. So in theory she's crossed over to another dimension in which that time, is happening now. But obviously it's happening in a place in which we, well, when I say we I mean us as we are now, me at all because I obviously wasn't born then but you indeed -"

"Wesley. If you have a point, make it" Angel cut the former-watched off.

"Well, in different dimensions, time is conceived differently. It displays differently. It passes differently. No two dimensions work on the same time-principle."

"So" the vampire sat up in the seat, a deep frown on his face. "You're saying that time could be passing more quickly were Faith is?"

"It's more than likely" Wesley took a breath for what seemed like the first time since he approached Angel.

"Or slowly?"

"In my experience it's less likely to be passing slower. Since past-dimensions usually pass at a quicker speed. Future dimensions pass slower."

"Well in actuality," Fred piped in, standing in the doorway were Wesley not long ago stood. "The statistical law is that in fact that past dimensions pass by more quickly, but future dimensions only appear to pass more slowly because to them we're a past dimension,so the rule still applies" Wesley and Angel looked blank, she added a sheepish "technically."

"What are you two saying?"

"Basically, Angel, that although we're just a few hours off sunrise. It's quite possible Faith's already been gone days. So-"

"So we need to work quicker!" Angel growled and slammed his fist down heavily on the desk. It was pretty safe to say that the news, didn't please the vampire at all.

**

* * *

1753

* * *

**

"And whom might ye be," the tall dark-haired said man said, eyeballing the shorter brunette in front of him. His eyes lingered upon her ample cleavage but he quickly noticed and raised his eyes, trying to hide is disapproval of her revealing outfit.

"Erm," Faith started but was interrupted by the welcome arrival of somebody familiar.

"Father this is Faye. I met her a few days ago in town. She's from" Liam paused here, realising Faye hadn't actually told him "well she had no place to go. I thought you wouldn't mind me looking after her for a few days. After all with the louts" upon uttering the word 'lout' Liam couldn't help aiming a smirk at his father, Faith wondered what was going on but stayed silent, "around this part of town I didn't 'tink you'd mind."

"How much do I tell ye that ye cannot bring home every stray lass from the town", Liam's father growled.

"You'd have done the same once, father, I'm sure" Liam challenged, knowing that his father wouldn't chastise him in front of a girl who could run off and tell the entire time just what a disappointment his eldest son was to the family.

Faith looked between the two men, trying to figure out what on earth was going on. There was definitely an undercurrent of something, but she couldn't place it. She was about to throw a questioning look at Liam when she heard footsteps behind Liam's father.

"Mother" Liam said warmly, she smiled at him.

"Liam, my what a surprise, you're not often home at this hour" she looked to Faith, "and who might this be?"

"This mother, is Faye."

"Oh, it's about time you brought home a lady-friend Liam, I so long to see you settle down –"

"Yes mother." Liam cut her off, not wanting to broach where the conversation appeared to be heading. He looked to Faith who was suppressing a smirk. Watching her he found himself almost smiling. He coughed to hide it and looked to his parents.

His mother hadn't failed to notice how close the two young people were standing.

"Well, Miss Faye, I suggest you join us for breakfast lass so that we can get to know you a bit better." Liam's father offered robotically. His wife smiled and went off to inform the servant of the extra guest and Faye followed graciously. After the women were out of earshot he spoke quietly "unlike the rest of the wenches you bring back to my house."

Liam glowered but followed his father anyway.

Liam's father took his seat at the head of the table. His wife sat next to him. Liam took a seat as far away from his father as he could, he indicated Faith should sit next to him, which she did eagerly.

"It's so good to have a woman looking after me dearest son" Liam's mother smiled towards Faith who smiled in return. Slightly nervous as to what was happening here. This wasn't supposed to happen, she wasn't supposed to be meeting Angel's real family. She wasn't supposed to be getting this close to Liam. And she most definitely wasn't supposed to be getting the warm tingling feelings she got an Liam's hand moved to rest suggestively upon her leg.

"Let us say grace" Liam's father instructed coldly, "Oh, mighty Father, bless this food we're about to eat. May it strengthen our bodies and may your words of faith strengthen our souls. In the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen"

The others chorused with an '_amen_'.

After breakfast had finished and the four had moved into the sun-room Liam's father seemed to have warmed to Faith slightly. He made some more jibes at Liam over breakfast, which Faith had been able to understand but after the looks he had been firing at his son, Faith was really starting to wish she could punch the man.

Liam's mother was sewing. Happily oblivious to the tension which she seemed to live with everyday.

"So, Miss" Liam's father paused as an indication that he was waiting for a last name. Faith quickly scanned her brain as all eyes were on her. She needed a name. An Irish name and quickly. But then her brain corrected her, she didn't sound Irish. So an English name would probably fit better. '_Think English Faith, c'mon'_ her mind encouraged her. As it became obvious that Liam's father was starting to get a little impatient she blurted out the first thing she could think of.

"Bennet..."

"Miss Bennet" he repeated letting the name sit upon his tongue, "how long to you intend to stay in town?" at this Faith let out a sigh of relief. Okay, maybe Bennet was a little too Pride & Prejudice but it was the first thing that had come to mind.

"I, don't really know yet" she ventured, gazing attentively towards Liam. He was watching her with hungry eyes and didn't appear to be following the conversation. He appeared to be devouring Faith with his eyes and the effect it was having on Faith was considerable. Luckily, the only visible trace of her arousal was the slight flush that was sitting upon her cheeks.

"Oh don't be silly" Liam's mother piped in looking pointedly towards her husband, "_dear_, you can stay as long as you like." She smiled warmly at Faith again and then gave a look to her son that, if Faith didn't know better, she was sure read; '_oh this girl's going to be my daughter-in-law soon._'

"That's very kind mother" Liam spoke for the first time since before breakfast. "But if you wouldn't mind excusing us, I should be the gentleman and show Miss Bennet around the town."

"Of course dear" his mother nodded, focusing back upon her sewing.

"Make_ sure_ you are the gentleman, Liam." His father added, his tone brooking no room for argument.

With that Liam took Faith's hand and guided her out. Once they were out in the small town and far from the house Liam spoke again.

"Now ye'v met me parents. Are ye scared?" he laughed, spinning Faith around so that she was facing him.

"It'll take more than that to scare me, you should meet my family" Faith cringed after she'd said that. Sure that the statement would evoke questions. But it didn't.

"My mother seemed to like ye" he smiled, moving his hand from hers and starting to trace her arm. She shivered. Every touch from him was lighting a fire in her nerves. She had never been so attracted to somebody in her life. Being with Liam was nothing like being with Angel.

Being with Liam was nothing like being with _anybody_.

It was almost surreal.

After another period of walking, they seemed to have covered a lot of distance and they were now standing quite a distance from the town, on the edge of a wood. Right on the banks of a brook.

"This place is beautiful." Faith looked around. It was so different from the world she knew. No cars, hardly any people. No sounds of aeroplanes from overhead.

"I used to come here when I was younger. Bring my little sister when she was, well a good longtime ago." Liam smiled reflectively into the water.

"What changed?"

"I changed. Enough about me, tell me about you, it surprised me that I didn't even know ye last name"

"I don't know yours" Faith replied coyly.

"It's O'Leannain. Liam O'Leannain."

"Nice to meet you Liam O'Leannain" Faith grinned, stepping closer,

"And you Miss Bennet" Liam stepped closed as well. Now the couple were almost touching, Faith smiled up at the taller man. He smiled down. They leaned together and before Faith could think they were kissing.

They're tongues were roaming, freely caressing the others. Licking lips. Biting, nibbling. Faith's hands snaked up and around Liam's back, palms flat to his back, then moving up to his shoulder blades. She moaned slightly as he sucked on her bottom lip and her fingernails dug lightly into his shoulders. He growled and his hands moved south, stopping just above her bottom, then they moved down.

They're mouths broke and Liam moved to hungrily place kisses along Faith's neck, she happily returned the favour. They're mouths met again and their frantic kissing resumed. They're hands were grasping and kneading each other's flesh.

Without knowing when or how Faith realised they were both on the floor, Liam lying flush against Faith's body, her skirts had ridden up to well above her knees and Liam was stroking the soft supple skin of her thy. Somehow, Liam's shirt had ridden up and Faith's hands were on his bare back.

Lost in their passion the two continued, lips tingling from the extended kissing session. Neither wanted to stop, both as oblivious as the otherto how they must look to prying eyes. Hands roaming under clothes, writhing on the floor, one on top of the other kissing like their lives depended on it. Then something inate made Faith pull away.

There was one thing she noticed as she pulled her head away from Liam's and took everything in. It wasn't how far up her dress had ridden. It wasn't that Liam's shirt was now completely open and hanging off his taut, warm body. It wasn't that she and Liam were both painfully aroused.

It was that it was very, very dark.

That's what Faith noticed first. She pushed Liam off her who looked as dazed and confused as she must have less than a minute ago. He stood. She lept up and to her feet.

The sun had set and she hadn't noticed it.

She was in the middle of a field, with the man who _would_ become Angel but was not yet Angel.

He was very much human. And very much unaware of the dangers that lurked in the dark.

She had_ no_ cross, _no_ stake and _no_ help.

She had completely forgotten all of the priorities a slayer should _never_ forget.

Brushing her skirts down she glanced to Liam who was watching her with interest,

"What-" he started to speak but Faith cut him off,

"We need to go back, right now." Her tone was firm, comanding,

"You afraid of the dark lass?" Liam quipped, his senses returning to him at last.

"You have no idea." With that, Faith grabbed Liam's hand and the two took off at a running pace back into town.

She could have killed them both. But with a plan forming in the blonde's head as she watched the two figures disappear into the horizon, she was very glad she didn't.

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_by Melek & Asisa_


	9. Conversations & Revelations

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17Whatever

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**Author's Note**: Thank you guys so much for your support. We're absolutely thrilled that we can write this again and that you for allowing us to know that this fiction is still appreciated and that your all still around to love it.

Reviewer thanks are at the bottom as per usual!

Melek & Asisa

**For Amanda**

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**Present

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**

The gang sat around the hallway of the hotel. Willow was pale and avoiding Angel's eyes, she hated being interrogated and it seemed that it was exactly what was happening. Angel was yelling at her. Although – it wasn't quite a yell, not yet anyway. She was trying to keep her cool but she was finding it difficult.

"Willow, I need to know exactly which spell you used" Angel said, slowly through gritted teeth,

"I already told you! The four elements and 'curarea his herbes, a aditus recrissus est'" Willow said for the millionth time. Angel hadn't accepted it the last few times she'd told him so she doubted he would this time.

"The four elements?" Wesley asked, stepping into the foyer, "because I think you should know that there are five." He said, looking into the faces of a now very confused bunch. "I've been doing some digging, in the watcher's diaries. I've encountered a rather interesting chapter from the fourteen-hundreds, 1406 to be precise."

"Wesley, cut to the chase," Angel instructed firmly, still throwing the odd glower towards Willow. At this, Wesley placed the open tome on the reception desk and pointed.

"Read them yourself, I have something to do." With that, Wesley walked out of the hotel.

Striding purposefully into his office, Angel grasped some books off the bookshelf and started to do some cross-referencing.

"Hmm" he hummed, directed towards Willow who gave him her full attention, "it seems that your spell isn't new. It's been used before" he paused and scanned the next couple of lines, "Wesley was right. A man called Geoffrey Allan-Bart in 1406 had used it. His slayer was called Trista; apparently she was the daughter of an English king and was married to a French prince." Angel mused over some more of the text.

"Wow, royal slayers?" Willow was impressed, "I bet she didn't get much time to slay."

"According to this she disappeared with the help of her watcher. He wanted to protect her from the order of Aurelius. So he sent her away, using your little spell." He slammed the book closed with some force "She was never seen again."

"Wait, so what're the chances that said watcher cast the spell at the exact same time that we did, only in a different dimension?" Willow asked, starting to get an idea,

"No it wouldn't work" Angel read her mind, "If that had of happened Faith would be in the 1400's and Princess Trista Avena Devereux would be here, in our time."

"So" Fred added, shocking them both with her arrival, "somebody else cast the same spell. Somebody undocumented, somebody who is from Galway 1753." Angel and Willow both looked to Fred then at each other.

"She's right!" Willow nodded, Angel agreed. "But how on earth are we going to find out who? And more to the point get whichever person ended up here in here so we can transfer everybody back to where they should be?"

Angel looked vacant.

Fred looked worried.

"Okay enough with the dimension-talk" Angel shook his head, his hope of getting Faith back was deteriorating rapidly and it didn't help that his mind kept having full, surround sound, 3D, flashbacks to a time he hadn't remembered in a long while. "Else I think I'm going to be getting a dimension" he was massaging his temple and the others smirked at the joke, glad that the mood had lifted. "I don't see what's funny" he growled, "get back to work."

'_Okay_' Willow thought to herself, '_I guess the mood hasn't lifted'_.

As they moved back to work, Angel started looking through more of his books. He was searching for anything that would be of interest. Closing his eyes briefly then unable to open them as the memory took hold of him.

He was sitting in a dark room, his living room, his living room from so long ago. He was reading a book, but the light was dim, candles, he saw the flickering low light. He could feel the presence of somebody next to him. A delicate hand on his back, stroking up and down. Traces of cinnamon were in the air, a scent almost forgotten to him. His mother was cooking. As he felt soft lips on his neck, he turned to glimpse at the person, the person who was making him feel so warm, so alive. He caught a glimpse of dark ringlets, the rest was blurry, it was slowly, very slowly, starting to come into focus –

"Angel?" Willow called, snapping him out of his memory. "I think you should see this. It's an entry from a diary written in 1753. It mentions a girl."

Angel looked down at the book she'd lain in front of him. He was shocked, but not because of the mentioned girl but because of the name. The vampire read it repeatedly, still unable to believe it. It read;

_insert month here 1753 - Thomas O'Leannain_

_Today I had a shock. My son Liam brought home a young wench from some filthy tavern. According to the servant, she has been bedding with us for some nights. There is something different about her. Something odd. The way she carries herself, and her accent. I do not trust her. Nevertheless, my wife has taken a liking to her; she seems to think that maybe Liam has found himself a wife._

"Where did you find this?" Angel asked, looking up to Willow frantically, "Wesley brought it back. Apparently, he checked with Giles about watched diaries from 1753 so he could research but it seems that, all the diaries that were in England had no mention of any strange activity. Other than the influx of vamp activity, the Master's trip to London had caused." She paused, looking back into the hall at Wesley, nodding and then turning back to Angel, "however he said that there was something that might be of interest right here in LA. The diaries of an Irishman that are very special to historians because it gave them a terrific insight into how people lived at that time. Legend says that the entire family was murdered shortly after his last entry." Angel cocked an eyebrow,

"Get to the point, why is it important?" Angel requested tensely not really wanting to listen to legends about how the family he murdered were killed,

"Well apparently, Giles did a lot of cross-referencing and found references to a strange arrival of a girl on the exact date we specified. So Wesley went to check it out and well, here it is" she looked expectantly at him, "are you okay? You look upset? I thought you'd be happy. This girl could be Faith. We've found her!"

"This diary" Angel said, tracing the faded ink with his fingers, "it was my father's."

**

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1753

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**

Liam Father's was sitting at his desk, his muscles tense a scowl upon his face. It was dark and the room was dimly lit, he assumed his wife had already turned in for the night and that neither his son nor guest had returned, as the house was deathly quiet.

He had just sent away the servant after a long interrogation as to the nature, the length and everything else about the mysterious Faye Bennet. Sighing heavily, and longing to do something to rid his mind of the silence in which he seemed to be buried, he took out his diary and wrote. His father had always told him a diary was a precious thing. It was something that could hold your feeling and secrets, something private and solitary.

Thomas has started writing a diary out of obligation to his father. However, his father was long dead and still he continued to write. It was a release. It was a habit.

Faith and Liam were walking through town, heading back to Liam's home. The desperation and panic Faith had felt in the field had abated thankfully. Now they were almost home. The two were not touching. The passionate encounter from before left them both feeling awkward, almost in awe of its intensity.

When they arrived at the house, Liam placed a gentle kiss on Faith's forehead and bid her goodnight. Faith did take a moment to wonder why he was disappearing off into his room, but the places her mind was taking her was leaving her aroused all over again. Not that she wasn't still tingling from before.

As she walked up to her room she could barely believe she'd been so irresponsible. The problem was this all felt like a dream to her, like she would wake up. Trying to wrap her head around being here was one thing. Trying to get her senses to agree was another.

As she entered her room, she looked at the wooden stake that was placed haphazardly upon the dresser from her first day here. She cursed herself again. She vowed to start taking this seriously.

Her head was still reeling. She tried not to think about everything to much. About home, about if she'd ever get there again. She just wasn't sure, not at all. It was out of her hands. She wondered if Angel was trying to bring her back. Wondered if anybody missed her at all.

Then there was Liam. She couldn't think about that at all, it was insane. One minute she's kissing and just getting used to the attraction she's feeling for Angel. The next she's transported and she's kissing the very real, very alive man that would become Angel in a couple of hundred years.

The difference was, it felt better than with Angel. She felt little butterflies when Liam was close. Tingles when he touched her, with Angel she felt excited but Liam was in a league of his own. It felt so natural, like it was where she should be. Where she needed to be.

If she was honest with herself, and this was the part that scared her the most, it felt like; home.

With a sudden desire to be in Liam's arms. Faith stood and crept slowly along the corridor, so as not to rouse the sleeping house, to Liam's door. She knocked lightly but nobody answered. Gently she opened to door to the sight of Liam asleep on his bed. She must have been lost in thought for longer than she had imagined.

Smiling towards the sleeping form, she was about to leave when a blur from the balcony caught her eye. She walked towards the veranda. What she saw was a blonde woman, watching her with wrapt interest.

"Who are you?" Faith asked, quietly so as not to wake Liam.

"A friend," she blonde smiled coyly,

"A friend wouldn't be standing on the balcony" Faith quipped, stepping into the doorframe, "what's your name, friend?"

"Darla" she spoke softly, smiling, had Faith known more about Angel's past warning bells would have sounded. But she didn't, so she just smirked and replied;

"Well _Darla_, I suggest you leave, before I make you,"

"Afraid I'll put the moves on your lover?"

"Not likely. If I'm right, I doubt you can get to him" Faith smirked, "not without an invitation anyways"

"And, who says I don't have one?" Darla purred, resting her gaze upon Liam suggestively, something inside Faith roared and she took a step forwards,

"If you had one, then you wouldn't be out there" this evoked a sweet smile from the blonde who tilted her head slightly,

"Are all slayers this smart?" Faith tensed at the vampires words, "oh that's right, word travels fast in a small town" Darla's voice flowed like honey, "I'm not afraid of a little girl"

"Well, lets see if I can change that" Faith challenged, Darla's beautiful face contorted as the demon inside her pushed itself to the surface threateningly.

"Lets" with that Darla jumped off the balcony, Faith wasn't far behind her. Darla was on her feet seconds before Faith was but had enough time to land a swift kick to Faith's face, sending the slayer sprawling backwards.

Watching the slayers movements cautiously, Darla noted the flex in the muscles of the other girls body as she jumped to her feet. Now they were looking eye to eye. Darla growled and moved to deliver a hard uppercut to Faith's jaw but the slayer caught her arm and twisted, Darla heard a sharp crack and felt the pain surge through her body but she ignored it. It didn't take too long for broken bones to heal. Before she could regain her senses Faith had punched her in the face, the slayer wrapped one of her legs around that of the vampire, and Darla was on her back.

Foregoing dignity Darla did a quick backwards role and was on her feet a few paces away from the slayer. Nursing a broken arm and a bleeding face she motioned to the shadows and two men stepped out.

'_Not men, vampires'_, Faith corrected herself.

Faith leapt into the air as the two vampire's came at her, one grabbed her leg and brought her painfully down to the ground. Luckily, she managed to grab the stake that she'd wisely positioned so that it was resting in the side of her underwear, for lack of a better place.

She heard the tear as the other vampire made a grab for her but got her skirts. The second time the vampire was on the money and grabbed the slayers other leg. She managed a slight kick, not very powerful but enough to free one of her legs and then she connected her elbow with the face of the vampire keeping his grip on her.

His nose broke but before he had time to note the pain Faith had plunged a stake into his heart. With a cloud of dust he was gone and Faith turned quickly enough to see the look of fear pass over the other vampire's face. Quickly enough however it was replaced with anger and he lunged at her once more. A fist connected with Faith's mouth and she tasted blood, spitting it out in a rather unladylike fashion, Faith lunged at the vampire, pinning him to the ground and staking him easily.

Obviously, these vampires were not used to a fight. They were nothing like the vampires from her time.

"Geez" Faith said, "Even you vampires are different around here" but as she scanned the scene she realised she was talking to herself as the blonde vampire that called herself Darla, was long gone. Cursing for falling for the distraction technique Faith walked back into the house.

"Goodness" came a voice from the hall as she walked in,

"Oh, erm, Mr O'Leannain, hi" Faith offered, terrified of how she must look. Clothes torn, face bloody, wooden stake in hand.

"Where is me son?" he asked firmly,

"In bed" she offered and then as an afterthought added a quick, "sir."

"And what, may I ask, have ye been up to?" he queried, eyeing her state of dress distastefully,

"There was a fight," she spoke, trying to think of a decent lie, "I heard something from my window so I went to check," she hesitated and Liam's father scowled, "two men. I went down because I wanted to help but I ended up – "

"They attacked ye?" concern suddenly spread over the older mans face, "what where they're names?"

"I do not know, sir," Faith added,

"Go to your room child," he stepped closer to her, "I'll have Aghna come and help you clean up at once,"

"Thank you"

"And tomorrow we'll find out who did this to ye and make sure they get their comeuppance. If there's one thing that should not be tolerated it's a man layin' a finger 'pon a woman who is not his." With that, the elder O'Leannain disappeared into the back room.

Faith walked up the stairs suppressing a smile. She supposed she should be annoyed about the obvious ownership issues men had over woman of this time, but for some reason she couldn't help but feel happy over the fact that Liam's father was being protective.

Protective over her.

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**Reviewers**

**Girl B** – Thank you. We're very glad that you like the plot. We've tried to keep it as original as we can and we've spent a lot of time working out the plot to avoid huge, gaping plot holes. We're so glad to see you appreciate our effort and are thrilled that you're enjoying the story.

And as for your suggestion, well, safe to say I absolutely love it! I love the idea of Buffy's reaction, so don't worry at some point Miss Summers will be informed of the situation!

**MysticWolf1 **– We hope you'll enjoy the journey of where this story is going. I love the thought of Faith & Liam together to. It just seems to fit in my mind which is fantastic.


	10. A Little Piece of History

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17"Whatever"

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1753 

She was tense and on edge, trying to get comfortable in the bed wasn't easy. The fight was long over but the Slayer still had adrenaline pumping fast and hard through her veins. She stood up and walked to the window, glaring at the night sky as if it was too blame. Hair blowing in the light breeze.

It astounded her, looking at the stars above, and out over the fields that hundreds of years from now things would be entirely different. Half of what she could remember from History Class hadn't happened, the Titanic hadn't even sank, a concept which really grounded her. A movie that she'd been obsessed with when it was released and revived her interest in the past, was now the future.

"Madness" she muttered,

"Is it now?" the voice was coy,

"You're awake?" Faith asked, not turning around,

"Oh aye" he walked up behind her, "tis nearly morning" she felt kisses fall like feathers upon her neck, "Father told me you'd been fighting" she didn't answer, didn't want to have to explain. They stood together like that for a while in silence, they watched the sun come up over the distance and were still standing there as the rays started to shine in through the windows,

"Ma'am" the door opened and the servant girl blanched as she saw Liam stood there "sorry Master" she hung her head,

"Tis allright" he smiled at Faith, "I'll see you at breakfast?"

"Sure" Faith nodded, and he walked out. The maid laid her clothes on the bed and when she left Faith sat down. How was she ever going to get herself out of this mess, for the first time Faith was truly terrified. What if Angel didn't save her? Was she to live out the rest of her life and die before she was even born?

When Faith showed up downstairs her eyes were red and puffy, she'd obviously been crying but Liam and his family had the good graces not to comment. There was banter between the family but Faith stayed quiet and didn't say a word.

" Faye, what seems to be the matter dear?" Liam's mother asked gently, the silence bothering her

"Nothing, ma'am," she murmured,

Liam's father's eyes raked over the girl discriminatingly. He had a feeling he knew exactly what was going on, but remained silent.

**Present**

"Your father's? " The group was shaken, all eyes fixed on the vampire.

He nodded. Once again memories started flooding into his head, eclipsing thoughts of the present and trying to pull his consciousness to the past. His fingers found the familiar spot at his temples. Eyes flitting back to the yellowing paper, he scanned the next few paragraphs,

"Wes" it was quiet but the other man caught it, he looked up, "read this" and there was a indicative gesture towards the page "read this." Wesley wandered over to him and read the passage,

'I decided to try the spell out again, it had failed so abysmally the last time I tried just over a week ago. My sons latest conquest is still in my home, my wife's likening of her is growing every minute. Yet there's something I cannot place about her, something that seems very odd. Just last night I found her standing in the court-yard bruised and battered, dress torn and dusty yet she was very much alone. She saw me reading and informed me that my text was incorrect. I took a harsh tone with her and after a lot of nonsense she told me that she'd heard somewhere (goodness knows where a girl of her social standing would pick up such knowledge, unless of course she is a witch, but no she doesn't seem savvy enough for a witch) there were five elements. Have you ever heard such silly talk in your life? But being the ever-vigilant Watcher I thought it best I look into it and the girl may have a point. Many volumes referenced a fifth element but none can seem to agree. Some claim that free thought, creative expression, thoughts make up the fifth element. But others, including my newly acquired house guest it's love. At first I thought that was rather insane to, but I give her credit to pointing me in the right direction maybe I should take her word on this. So I tried it and nothing happened. Maybe I over-estimated her.'

"See told you, there are actually 5 elements" Wesley added, a slight smirk of superiority on his face,

"So it was your dad who performed the same ritual," Willow enquired, eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as she closed her eyes against the confusion, "but why?" Wesley read on,

'The reason why I even decided to try this spell is because of the increased vampyric activity growing here, I cannot bare the thought of my family at risk. It seems to have backfired though, a number of nights now I have spotted a pale-blonde lass standing in the shadows of my grounds. I know she's a demon I can see it in her eyes when she's watching and I'm sure she's seen me watching a few times. I just hope this new spell has worked. If it hasn't I can't-'

"The passage has ended," he spoke, shocked,

"Why?" Angel asked, eyes fixed on Wesley,

"It's stopped, there's an ink blot like he was going to continue but nothing. Nothing more until tomorrow when he starts afresh."

Memories flooded Angel's mind, the taste of mulled wine flooding his month, the smell of sweat mixed with some expensive perfume flooded his nostrils, his hands tingled with the long forgotten sensation of soft, crisp cotton and flowing lace. Smooth skin, his eyes were glazed over. Soft red lips on his neck, falling deftly on his bare chest, his shirt falling open. Fingernails gently below his belly-button, a slightly tanned chest, rising against the restraints of the low-cut fabric and falling again in a single, sharp breath. Teeth on his ear, on his nipple, going lower. The smell of a fire burning in the distance and the dim light, dark ringlets making their way down, down – and then a stern voice, and nothing.

"He had heard something," Angel came back to reality, skin still tingling, pants suddenly excruciatingly too tight in the groin area, "he must have abandoned his work in his hurry to make sure I wasn't up to no good"

"Were you?" Willow asked, arching an eyebrow but Angel's brow furrowed and she looked away, almost blushing under the intensity of the lust clouded in his eyes, "I don't get it though" she changed the subject, eyes all turned to her again, "how can a protection spell become a summoning spell. Especially one that crosses dimensions. That kind of thing takes serious magic and planning. Not something you can just...accidentally do..."

"Two-hundred and fifty two" Fred gasped,

"Splainy?" was Willow's baffled reply,

"It's been two-hundred and fifty-two years exactly, well, would have been the other day."

"And that's important because?" Lorne spoke for the first time in a while,

"Mathematically that's a very powerful number, it's" a frown "I can't explain it, it's almost written in so many mathematical rules, you can find it in everything" looks almost overwhelmed "it's like-"

"Fred" it was Angel, "just get to the important bit, less of the genius-speak"

"We could always perform the ritual again? It might bring her back?" Wesley muttered out loud.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Willow shot at him quickly. "the numbers gone, who knows what it could do now? Besides it's not such a good idea casting a spell were we have no idea what it's going to do" she sighed and looked pleadingly at Angel, nerves were starting to fray.

"I think we should get some rest" Angel said eventually, he stood and walked off and started up the stairs, he didn't really think of much as he was stalking to his bedroom, all he would remember upon waking was dropping onto his bed and falling straight to sleep.

After Angel had gone, Willow excused herself and headed up to the room she'd chosen for the night, truth be told it was as close to the foyer as she could get. The idea of all these empty rooms and all the space made her nervous. She had several books splayed across her bed from earlier, a couple still open. She sighed and sat down starting to thumb through them again.

"There has to be a way" she muttered to herself, completely at a loss at how they could have so easily lost somebody to another dimension. Her eyes fell on the Eryishion spell as it had before, but as much as her head was telling her to try something else was telling her already that it wouldn't work.

She found herself wishing Tara was here with her, to tell her what to do. There was a pang in her heart, soon she was lost in her thoughts and gently, as the first rays of dawn were streaming through the moth-eaten curtains making the dust dance in the light, Willow fell into a light sleep. It had been a long day.

In the office Wesley was still reading the diaries of Angel's father, confounded and entranced by the accounts written there. How could the father of the Scourge of Europe have been a watcher? Shaking his head he read back through the monotonous complaints of a seemingly unpleasant man. Most of the entries were boring. He was droning on about day to day life, and Wesley wondered if his diary had sounded much the same.

He shuddered, eyes getting heavy he trudged upstairs and within seconds of lying down he too was asleep.

There was a hush around the hotel as it's inhabitants slept away the morning in still, dreamless sleeps. Only one was tossing and turning fighting to remember things that were on the brink of his conciousness, but would fade as he tried to grasp them.

By the time Angel awoke it was already afternoon, he could smell the sun beyond the thin glass of his window which was covered in a heavy curtain, he knew he wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon so he went for a shower and settled down in a dark, threadbare chair and started to read a book.

By the time the sun set and he walked downstairs everybody was awake. The mood seemed a bit brighter than it had before and everybody was happily picking at the take-out Chinese which was laid out over the counter.

"Want some sunshine?" Lorne offered cheerfully, Angel shook his head

"I need some air" he sighed and everybody offered a gentle smile, Angel walked out the front door and almost breathed a sigh of relief as the cooling air swept over him relieving some of his pent-up tension. He was walking around aimlessly for longer than he intended, the air had turned quite cold for LA, then he heard it. A shrill scream from not to far away, rolling his eyes Angel ducked into a nearby alleyway. After jumping a couple of building he found the source, some blonde was getting pounded by what looked to be a punk-rock-surfer-boy. Angel couldn't even begin to wonder what was going on with fashion these days.

'In my day' he thought wistfully 'you picked one and stuck to it'.

"Hey" he called out, casually, getting the other vampires attention, unfortunately for the poor guy he already had Angel's fist in his face before he even registered what was going on. He growled in retaliation. They traded blows for a few seconds, Angel taking a nasty uppercut to the chin until he gained the upper hand enough to through the other vampire into the wall, "Get out of here" he shot to the girl, who was stood entranced watching them and Angel wondered how humans had survived this long. She hesitated for a moment and then ran.

"You obviously don't know who I am right?" the other vampire growled cockily, well as cockily as one can from a pile of rubbish he was picking himself out from,

"Are you the vampire with a soul?" Angel asked, feigning shock and awe,

"No" the vampire frowned, looking a little confused,

"Right that'd be me" and Angel landed a stake in a heart, and it wasn't his own. He looked at the punk-rock-surfer-boy pile of dust and shook his head, "kids these days". For the first time since Faith disappeared Angel was feeling a little better.

A few weeks had passed in LA, two to be exact. Faith had been gone for three long weeks now and Angel was falling deeper and deeper into his memories. Of course he had no way of knowing that three weeks were nothing compared to the three months Faith thought she had been away.

**1753**

They were sitting under a tree enjoying the early autumn weather, her dark head was resting on his broad-chest and her eyes were closed. From a distance they looked like the perfect, chaste couple. Look closer though and you'd see his fingers dancing around the top of her cleavage, stroking gently. You'd also see the languid smile spread over her face as her hand edged it's way up his leg.

"_Father, I'm going to ask her!"_

"_Don't you dare boy"_

Liam stiffened and Faith sat up,

"What's the matter?" she smiled a few ringlets of hair falling into her eyes, she loved her hair like this and although Liam's mother had showed her how to do it several times she knew that without the older woman's help she'd never manage it.

"Nothin love" he shook his head, quelling the memories of last weeks heated debate with his father,

"Something's obviously the matter Liam" her voice was like honey and he smiled down at her, then stood up and pulled her to her feet,

"Just something I'd thought about asking you" his brown eyes locked with hers, she raised a delicate eyebrow, "was wondering if you'd like to be my wife" she blinked,

"Not the most romantic thing I've ever heard" she laughed, he frowned,

"How would you expect it done? I would have asked your father but you don't seem to have one,"

"He's dead" she added hastily,

"Oh, I'm sorry,"

"It's okay" she looked at the ground, there was silence for a good five minutes and then,

"Well?"

"Well what?" she was confused,

"Will you be my wife?"

"Oh," she grinned, "of course" she didn't know what else to say but the phrase 'when in Rome' had gotten her this far. They kissed for a long time, the shade of the browning tree casting shadows over them and protecting them from the glaring sun.

When they got home the sun was setting, they announced their news and Liam's parents congratulated them duly. His mother was thrilled and his father hid his emotion which Faith noted with a scowl. She'd come to except that his father didn't like her. Or him for that matter.

Later that night his mother entered her room and the two talked about the ceremony and in what was becoming quite a regular occurrence Faith forgot their was anything wrong.

**Present**

It was another long day for Angel Investigations and the Faith hunt continued undisturbed. Books and drawings covered the floor. Notes and essays everywhere. The place looked like a bomb had gone off. Angel sat in his office continuing through the monotony that was his fathers diary. Angel found himself, for the first time in nearly a hundred years glad that he had killed his father when he had, lest there be more of this crap.

There was a noise, and a familiar blonde head,

"Buffy" a smile spread over his lips,

"Hey" she fluttered her eyelashes unintentionally,

"What brings you here?"

"You seem to have stolen my best friend" she chuckled as he raised an eyebrow, "a few days has turned into a few weeks. Thought I'd come to rescue her"

"Ah" he nodded, seeing the red-head materialise behind her,

"We lost Faith" it was a heavy statement and Buffy raised her eyes and spun on her heels,

"Come again?"

"We lost her,"

"She's a big girl, can't she handle herself?"

"In 1753"

"Where?"

"The year."

"Faith's in a different year."

"17-"

"-whatever. What's she doing there?" Buffy cut Angel's interruption off,

"We don't know, it was a spell that backfired"

"What spell?" Buffy was frowning now and Angel noted it wasn't really a good look for her,

"A protection spell. We used on the hotel"

"Oh well – we don't need her anyway. We need you" she looked pointedly at Willow "in Sunnydale, big bad remember?"

"I can't just leave.." Buffy cut her off,

"Yes you can. She'll be fine, nothing much happened then," she looked at Willow who was looking at Angel, Buffy turned again, "what happened in 17" she couldn't remember "whatever?"

"Angelus happened" Angel shook his head,

"So he kills Faith. Is it really such a loss," Buffy went to smile but the disgusted look on Angel's face made her expression drop,

"I'm not leaving until she's back. It could mess up everything Buff" Willow added, walking close to her best friend "but we've tried everything.

"Okay" Buffy could see she was beaten, and tried to read Angel's expression which was usually so open to her, she was shocked and saddened to see it so closed off. Had they really grown that much apart? "Can I help?"

A few hours later Buffy had been well a truly clued in by Willow, she wandered outside specifically to find a certain broody vampire and found him sitting next to some Jasmine, she walked over to him,

"Is everything okay?"

"Sure" he spoke, 'No' his mind screamed, she placed a delicate hand on his arm and he turned to face her

"You seem distant" she wondered why he was looking at her with such a different expression when usually he'd be kissing her by now. She stood on her tip-toes and places a gentle kiss on his lips, then stroked his cheek gently, "and stressed,"

"I've lost a slayer" he sighed, how could he even begin to explain to Buffy what he was feeling for Faith,

"Now you've found one" she kissed him again.

"I heard you're raising an army of Slayers" he changed the subject,

"Potentials, but Angel" she looked at the floor, "they're just kids"

"So were you"

"Buffy?" she shrill voice came from the door, she turned

"Cordelia, who knocked you up" she stared at her old school-mates stomach,

"That would be me" a voice from behind her,

"You're Conner I suppose?" she frowned and he nodded, she turned to look at Angel but the vampire was gone,

"I hate it when he does that" she offered, but Cordelia didn't smile.

Buffy found Angel eventually sitting in his room, she leaned on the door-frame and tilted her head, "Can I come in?" he didn't look up,

"Sure" she walked over to him and sat next to him on his bed, overwhelmed by how much the room smelt of him and how much she'd missed that smell. She went to put a hand on his shoulder but he caught it,

"Good reflexes"

"I try" and then they were kissing, it didn't feel like Angel remembered but it was familiar. He kept kissing her and soon hands were everywhere, touching, stroking, flesh on flesh. Clothes were on the floor in a frenzy of passion and before they knew what was happened Angel had the smaller frame pinned to the bed, he was kissing, licking, biting at her bare skin and she was moaning, aching and arching to his touches. Suddenly he was gone,

"I'm sorry" she muttered to shadow infested corner that he was in, she could barely make him out even with her slayer-vision,

"It's not your fault" he sighed, palms flat against the wall "but we shouldn't, we can't"

"I know. I'm sorry" she was reaching for her clothes, "I don't know what happened"

"Yes you do, you came here, you kissed me, you followed me to my room. You know what was going on" he growled and she looked at the floor. He was right, a part of her had wanted, no, needed proof that he still wanted her. Desperately. She'd gotten that proof, but she had the nasty feeling that it wasn't the fear of losing his soul that made him pull away. He'd looked into her eyes and deep-down she realised that he hadn't seen who he wanted to see. But of course she wasn't about to admit that to her consciousness just yet, she pulled on her jeans and t-shirt and walked out of the room. Leaving her underwear on the floor.

She pressed the button on the elevator door and waited, head swimming, but when the doors opened it wasn't the dark and mouldy interior she had come up in,

"The Powers That Be, seek to speak with the older slayer"

"The who?" she raised an eyebrow and then added quickly, "hey I'm not old"

"I just can't," he said.

She looked down, still naked, not knowing what to say here.

Silently she got dressed as well. He walked out of the room. He was confused.

He walked into the deserted lobby and then into this office where he started reading his fathers diary.

In front of Buffy a portal appeared, "The Powers That Be, seek to speak with the Slayer."

* * *

A much needed update. It's quite long, was going to make it into two chapters but that was too much effort. We're back for now, hopefully with the intention to finish the story unless life gets in the way again.

Review if you want - we ain't gunna force ya. We write it because _we_ like it.

We also love ideas and speculations!! So let us know what you think! also if you dont like a turn the stories taking let us know why and we may even think about changing it,

lots of love, the authors!


	11. Say what now?

* * *

**17"Whatever"**

* * *

The was drawn into the portal but not of her free will. Inside the white light was almost blinding and Buffy squinted despite her best efforts. If she didn't know better she'd be worried that this was the infamous 'bright light' and that she was dying. But it wasn't, Buffy Summers knew exactly what dying was like.

"Hello?" she offered, firmly then there was a voice, it didn't come from a direction it just seemed to come from the entire, infinite space around her,

"It has come" a pause, "the Slayer has come" that last voice was higher, "it looks lost" Buffy tried her best to harden her face, "but tries to be brave" she didn't like this at all, "it wants answers" her blue eyes searched the nothingness, "it is a child" this was mocking,

"Enough!" Buffy found her voice. "Who" she stopped, "what are you?"

"We do not answer your questions" the voice almost laughed, "we answer to nobody" another voice, different from the first to, "we decide questions" and if it was possible Buffy thought the room seemed to emanate smugness,

"Why am I here?" Buffy _really _didn't like this.

"It speaks when it should listen" a voice said, but it wasn't to her, "the Chosen is flawed" another and Buffy took exceptional offence,

"Talk to me" she almost growled, her forced calm dissipating. There was silence and Buffy didn't break it, she took a few deep breaths and waited. She strained her hearing to the point of giving herself a headache to try and hear the whispers that seemed to fill the space around her, but she couldn't.

"It will see, what it cannot see" and then everything went black.

Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she was in Angel's bed. She knew by the overwhelming smell of him that she inhaled, sitting up she found she was naked, for a moment she wondered if everything had been a dream – but the Slayer new better than to hope that.

In her dream she'd seen a lot of things, most fragmented. She'd seen memories of Faith that were somehow different but the same. Situations that had happened but somehow hadn't. But more than anything she knew, that in those last moments before waking she'd seen Angel kissing Faith. And she knew unwaveringly in her gut that had been real.

It explained a lot. She jumped out of bed and dressed, ready for the confrontation of a lifetime.

Angel was sitting in his office with Wesley, they were taking turns to read through the diary,

"You were married?" Wesley asked curiously, Angel frowned he searched his memories and then shook his head,

"I don't-" Wesley placed the book on the desk and pointed, '_I thought I had expressed my displeasure enough to persuade that ignorant boy of mine that I didn't want him to propose. I should have known he wouldn't listen. The boy is downstairs as we speak celebrating with half of the town. His mother doting on him like she always has. I don't trust her and I don't want her in my house.' _"I must have been, I told you before I don't remember much from then" he rested his head in his hands,

"I bet you remember kissing Faith just fine" a voice growled spitefully from the doorway, Angel raised his eyes but not his head,"

"Buffy" his voice was tired,

"Why? Why Faith?" she shot at him, eyes full of angry tears, "because I wouldn't, because I was happy and moving on?"

"With Spike" the demon in him bit back before he could restrain it,

"Who told you?" her eyes widened,

"I didn't know it was a dirty little secret"

"He's better than Faith" he voice cracked, their voices were raised now so that they were near shouting.

"Why do you care?" Angel yelled, standing and slamming his palms on the desk, Buffy looked hurt,

"I bet you two laughed, she finally got what she always wanted to take from me"

"Not everything is about you anymore" it was a low growl, Buffy lunged but Angel was quicker and had her pinned to the wall behind the desk,

"Guys" Wesley offered, Buffy looked stunned,

"Do you love her?" she spat, hands on Angel's arm that was holding her a few inches of the ground,

"Do you love him?" they stared at each other for a while and then Angel let her go. She landed on her feet and a hand touched her neck were a red mark was forming,

"I didn't know it would happen" Angel said after a while, Wesley was looking lost and a little afraid,

"You didn't look like you tried to stop it" she looked at the floor,

"How did you-" Wesley stared,

"I had a dream" Buffy added before chiding herself for how 'Marting Luther King' she sounded.

"I'm sorry he offered" sitting down again now,

"Me too" her voice was barely audible, but Angel heard,

"What's this?" she looked at the book on the desk,

"My fathers diary. Apparently he was a watcher" she read a few lines, "you were married?" jealously entered her voice slightly,

"So it would seem" Buffy read some more,

"He was a little," Buffy searched for the right word

"Boring?" Wesley offered,

"Monotonous?" Angel added a sigh escaping his lips, they weren't even halfway through yet.

"I was going to say dull...but of the above work to" there was a comfortable silence again, "So you don't remember?"

"For about a year before I was turned I don't remember once. I assumed it was because I was too drunk" he spread his hands in a mock shrug

"I should head off" Buffy said after another bout of silence. Angel nodded his goodbye as did Wesley, Buffy was walking out of the hotel when she heard somebody singing, she stopped for a minute and listened, eyes wandering to the seat where Lorne was sat singing gently to himself,

"Singing at random times" she laughed gently, "what is this, some kind of musical?"

"Always fancied myself on the Muppet Show" Lorne teased, Buffy didn't know whether or not to take him seriously but the vaguely knew the show. Who didn't know Kermit and Miss Piggy? "Kermit's got nothing on me" he winked,

"Of course not" she decided to play along, confused as she was, "you're a much nicer shade of green,"

"Thank you kindly Ma'am" he mimicked a southern accent,

"As long as you don't start calling me Rowlf" Gunn shot from the door having been a fan of the show when he was younger. Not that he'd admit it. Ever.

"Aw you're much cuter than a puppy dog" Fred smiled at him, Angel walked out of his office looking at them all missing the joke completely and frowning quite severely,

"I think we've found our Sam" Willow chirped up from behind Buffy and the group burst into laughter. If it was possible, Angel frowned even harder.

**1753**

Standing on a splintering block of wood, in bare feet, wearing a pair of long knickers and a very uncomfortable corset that her soon to be mother in law kept referring to as a 'stay' made Faith long for the comforts of a decent sports-bra and a nice lacy thong. She felt about as sexy as Wesley Windom Price must feel every second of the day.

She tried not to fidget as the dressmaker pulled and cinched the white fabric around her and as the two women in the room with her made comments in rapid-fire Irish. Faith hadn't a clue what they were saying. A pin found it's way into her side and she cringed, the woman apologised and Faith hoped her blood didn't stain the fabric.

She was bored and depressed because it was raining and she'd much rather be with Liam that standing in a cold and draughty shop in her underwear being fitted for her wedding dress. Liam's mother had planned everything, they were due to be married on December 4th of this year, that year, whatever year she was in. Thinking about it all really made Faith's head hurt.

It was already October and everything was in motion, Faith got butterflies in her stomach whenever she thought about her wedding night, for some reason she really wanted to save herself for the night – well obviously she had already given herself, but she was doing well, she hadn't had sex yet this century at least – but Liam was making it awfully hard. She groaned internally, remembering she definitely mustn't think about Liam and anything hard in the same sentence.

It was dark before Faith finally managed to get herself out of the shop, she took the long way home trying to blow off some steam and found herself stunned to realise she really did think of it as 'home'. She was so busy contemplating she almost missed the vampire lunge down from a tree next to her. It took her down to the ground and she let out an 'ouf' of surprise. She did a backward roll, very un-womanly flashing her underwear, the landed a kick to the man's jaw on the way up and then stood, stake in hand,

"Where did you get that from?" the vampire looked moderately impressed

"A lady never tells" and she staked him, "far too easy" she sighed, obviously computer games and movies hadn't taught these vampires violence yet.

As she hid the stake again and continued on her merry way Darla stepped out of the shadows,

"Don't worry dear, I'll soon fix that" she breathed, Faith turned but there was nothing there and she concluded it must be the wind. As she turned back she almost jumped because standing directly in front of her was Liam's father.

"Hey" she tried, wondering how much he'd seen. He eyes her warily,

"What" he stopped "who are you?"

"You know who I am sir" her voice was gentle she was trying desperately to keep the threatening tones out of it that she so often used as a defence mechanism.

"I know I just saw you" he searched around with his eyes as if searching for the right word "dispose of two vampires" Faith's eyes widened,

"I don't know what-"

"You can play dumb with me child" exasperation obvious on his face "or you can tell me who you are."

"I'm the slayer" honesty is the best policy and all that nice stuff, he was silent, assessing her Faith was silent to gauging his reaction,

"That explains some" he didn't seem happy, "come with me" the two walked silently back to his house and when the got their Faith followed him obediently to his office, she sat down when he offered and so did he. "Now" he glanced around "I'm not sure what's going on here, where is your watcher?"

"Dead" at least she was being honest, well, he last one wasn't really dead he'd been fired. Because of her.

"I see. You're parents?"

"Never knew them" she lied

"I see"

"You seem to see an awful lot," she arched an eyebrow

"I'm a watcher Miss Bennett" Faith's lips formed the shape of an 'o'. "As I understand the previous slayer died mere months ago, yet you looked practised at killing. Not what one would expect from a new slayer."

"I'm a fast learner" she was getting defensive, who was he to comment on her skills,

"A fast learner with a dead slayer. You seem to think me dense" he scowled, she glared

"Maybe you've just been working with inadequate slayers" she quipped, his scowl deepened,

"Faye, may I be so bold as to warn you that you are still a guest in my home"

"You often are" she rolled her eyes, "you may be a watcher sir" she spat, "but you're certainly not mine. Are we done?" Faith was out the door before he had chance to answer and Thomas O'Leannin thought he better consult his books.

Upstairs Liam was sleeping fitfully, he'd been having awful dreams of late. And sometimes he'd waken in the dead of night with the intense feeling that somebody was watching him. Often it was so real that all the hairs on his arms stood up on end.

He rolled over and tried to get comfortable but it was no good, he was far too old to be afraid of the dark but these past few nights the mysterious eyes that watched him while he dreamed seemed to be too real for comfort. He heard a noise at the door and sat bolt-upright,

"You're awake" the voice was soft and gentle,

"It's late" he answered,

"I couldn't sleep" she sighed, sitting down on his bed,

"Nor I" he agreed and pulled her into a warm embrace. The two held each other for a while and fell to sleep in each other arms. Liam couldn't remember a time when he felt quite so safe and he longed for the time to pass quickly so that he could enjoy her every night. She was unlike anybody he'd ever met, often she thought she was misplaced in this time, surely such an exotic and independent woman belonged in the future.

Present Day

* * *

Buffy was sitting in the hotel eating a bagel which Fred and Willow had brought from their little trip to the real world. She knew what they meant when they said that. She'd been here less and twenty-four hours and already felt trapped, like she was in a different world.

Enjoying the serenity that she no longer got in her overly cramped house at home she was startled when her cell-phone started to ring. The chirpy melody of her current ring-tone,

"Yeh-low" she answered not even looking at the caller ID, she realised she was in a pretty good mood,

"Buffy"

"Ah my lovely Watcher" she grinned, "what can I do for you today?"

"I've been talking to some people-"

"You know people?" she interrupted, teasing,

"Buffy"

"Sorry"

"and they've informed me that there's some weird activity going on down there"

"That's the understatement of the century"

"What?"

"Nothing I'll explain when I get home" she sighed, "I'll be leaving soon"

"Before you come I was wondering if you could visit an old colleague of mine. She doesn't live too far from the hotel, it's about another potential."

"Sure" her smile faded, sometimes she forget she wasn't allowed days off. She headed out of the hotel with a cheery-bye and walked slowly towards the address, enjoying the early afternoon heat. When she got there she knocked on the door and was taken aback by how quickly it was opened,

"Buffy Summers?" it was a woman probably closing in on sixty, Buffy nodded, "come in please." Buffy did.

"Where's the girl?"

"Upstairs. Ms. Summers she's very young"

"How young?"

"About ten maybe eleven" Buffy was a little stunned, that was the youngest potential she'd seen yet, "and she doesn't seem to speak english."

"Great" Buffy replied sarcastically, she followed the woman upstairs and found the girl in the spare guest-room. She was dressed in a pair of jeans that looked to big and a t-shirt that read 'I Love NYC' with a picture of an apple and a worm.

"She was practically naked when I found her, a dress that was torn to bits and not a stitch on underneath" the older woman explained, Buffy nodded. The girl had dark hair and her head was resting on her knees, she seemed to be crying.

"Hey there" Buffy started gently, crouching down next to her, the girl looked up eyes swollen and red. She was pale, far too pale for anybody who'd been in LA for any period of time, "I'm Buffy, what's your name?" the girl just blinked at her sorrowfully. "Okay then" Buffy sighed,

"What language does she speak?"

"It appears to have hints of Gaelic in it but it's pretty distorted I couldn't make much out" had it been a cartoon a lightbulb would have appeared over Buffy's head. She took the girls hand, she flinched at first but allowed Buffy to help her up. Apparently resigned to her fate.

"I'll take it from here" and Buffy led the girl out of the house.

Angel was sitting in his office as he so often did these days. This time he was reading through a spell-book Willow had suggested, but thus far he'd found nothing helpful,

"Angel?" he stepped out his office and looked at Buffy, she had a small child with her who looked utterly lost and confused.

"Yeah?" he raised an eyebrow,

"She only speaks Irish" he raised the other eyebrow, "she's a potential" he rolled his eyes,

"What's your name?" he offered in his native tongue, it had been so long though he hoped the language hadn't changed much. He'd last used it in 1753, her eyes widened and she flew at him, throwing her arms around him. He was stunned and looked helplessly and Buffy, "I'm Angel" he tried to pry her off himself,

"An Angel?" she asked tentatively, and Angel noted that the language was still exactly the same,

"Just Angel" he attempted a warm smile but he was a bit rusty, "what about you" she looked at the floor, "where are you from?"

"Ireland" she said, looking up at him with big hazel eyes, "where am I?"

"You're in Los Angeles, America" he added when she continued to look utterly bemused, "where are your parents?"

"At home" she looked lost again and started to cry, he crouched down in front of her and brushed her long dark locks from her face in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Something about her seemed oddly familiar,

"Where is home?"

"Galway" she added hopefully, as if she were waiting for him to take her home then she looked at him properly for the first time and burst into tears again, "You've come to save me, yes?" he nodded,

"We'll keep you safe, I'm from Galway too" he smiled and she looked at him as if he'd said the stupidest thing in the world and that's when it all clicked. He stood,

"Wesley" he bellowed, Wes came bounding down the stairs,

"What?"

"Get Willow. We've found our stowaway" he looked at the girl again, memories flooding his mind. Of course the language she was speaking was the same as the Gaelic he knew. It was from the same bloody time, "Buffy" he smiled, "meet Kathy. My sister" her jaw dropped to the floor.

An hour later, Kathy was drinking a glass of water and eating some food Angel had provided, Angel was leaning against a wall watching over Wesley's shoulder as he flipped back through the diary. They'd only started reading after the mystery woman had showed up but Wes decided they needed to delve further back. And had been trying, so far he'd looked through three volumes. Angel noted again how much his father had loved to go on.

"Aha" it was triumphant, Kathy looked over, eyes wide again but Angel tossed her a smile,

"Ignore him" he told her "he's a little crazy" she almost laughed and went back to her food, "Aha what?" he asked Wesley who was presenting him with a chapter.

_It's raining and they've just left her on the doorstep. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with her. I've given her to my wife who has assured me that the girl was hungry and is promptly feeding her whatever milk we have left in the larder. My son is sleeping upstairs and the girl is bellowing loudly enough to wake the dead. They tell me she'll become a slayer. I hope I'm not stuck with her until then. I never wanted a daughter._

Angel was shocked, so his sister wasn't his sister. That was going to take some getting used to, a part of him felt like a contestant on a Jerry Springer show.

"Angel?" he looked down,

"Yeah I read it." He scowled,

"Are you okay?"

"No use worrying about it now. I killed them already" his gaze fell on the girl that he'd so long thought of as a sister. A girl who hypothetically had a whole future ahead of her, and maybe did if they didn't send her back. Of course if they kept her it meant no Faith. It also meant changing the past and Angel knew that was never a good idea.

* * *

I know I know, I hate Buffy as much as the next person but my partner here **pokes him in ribs** wouldn't let me do the story without her. FFFfffffftttt!

Anyways hope you like this one, and the angle it's taking. We pretty much know where it's going now and are heading for the home-stretch!

Thanks you the reviewers!! It's lovely to read them!


	12. A Pocket of Sunshine

17"Whatever"

* * *

Angel looked thoughtfully at the girl who once was his sister but stood there a stranger to him now. Two hundred years had passed since he'd last seen her face, heard her voice and the time had changed his memories quite a lot. But to be standing face to face with such a momentous part of who he had been was starting to addle his brain. He was pretending to read a newspaper, watching the inhabitants of the hotel. Kathy was sitting with Wesley who was attempting to use a Gaelic translation guide off the internet to converse with her. It was pretty hit or miss. 

Buffy laughed and he looked at her, really looked. She'd changed a lot, her eyes weren't as bright at they used to be he noticed lots of subtle changes. Her entire aura was much stronger, she held herself with a confidence that he'd never known. A power emanated from her, and the weight of the world on her shoulders had aged her. He had loved her so much. Once. But now, although his heart still yearned for her it yearned for the Buffy he knew. Not this slayer who stood in front of him, all business. Her lust for life had gone and she looked, resigned. Angel sighed, after a long fight between the girl and the slayer, the slayer had won.

Then there was Faith who never fought being a slayer, who accepted it with open arms and used it to sculpt who she was. A killer. But then wasn't he? Faith who hated Buffy and Buffy who hated Faith. They were completely different women and Angel had loved them both. Angelus had loved Darla and Liam had loved Faye Bennet.

Did that mean he'd loved Faith before anybody?

"I'm getting a headache" he put the paper down, Buffy looked up

"I should be going" she looked to the window, he stared at her with dark eyes, "am I leaving the potential?" she inclined her head towards Kathy, Angel nodded,

"We need to send her back"

"Dunno how I'm going to explain this one to Giles" she shrugged and forced a smile, then her gaze locked with Angel's, "if you get Faith back tell her she's needed in Sunnydale" Angel frowned, "listen you and Faith might have" her face darkened, "something going on but we need her there."

"It's her choice"

"Would you really-" she started to shout but stopped, took a deep breath and looked at him again "have a nice life Angel." He didn't break the gaze and neither did he for a long time, then Buffy tuned to Willow, "are you staying?"

"I need to help get her back" she replied meekly and Buffy's eyes flared,

"Whatever – all this fuss for a psychopath" and the slayer stormed out. Willow stood and Angel shook his head,

"She won't be mad at you for long Willow and we do need your help" she sat back down and Angel picked up his paper again.

1753

* * *

When Liam woke up Faye was gone but he wasn't surprised, he didn't think Faye would stay. When he sat up he noticed the draft and noticed the window was open. The sky was overcast and the outside looked ominous like it was going to rain. He stood, dressed and headed downstairs. 

"G'mornin Father" he smiled as he walked into the sun room. He took a seat and sip from a cup of water. His father looked up but didn't say a word. Liam rolled his eyes doubting his dad would ever change.

"Morning dear" his mother spoke warmly, wafting into the room which filled with the scent of her perfume. A smell Liam would never forget. As Angelus he would kill women simply for wearing it at making him remember, as Angel he wouldn't quite remember why the smell made him feel sick but it would. He sat there for a few hours waiting for Faith to come down but she didn't.

That's because unbeknownst to Liam Faith was sitting in his fathers office, reading a text he'd left out for her and she'd been reading it since the early hours of the morning when that blonde vampire had shown up again. She was turning into Faith's little stalker and the slayer wasn't sure she liked it. She flipped a page and yawned.

"Are ya still reading?" Thomas asked, closing the door behind him. Faith scowled,

"Actually, I'm looking at the pictures" she smiled sweetly, "I don't speak Irish"

"Ah" he sat down "so are you ready to talk?" Faith sighed and settled down into her chair. Putting the large book on the desk she told him the whole story starting at the beginning. Leaving out the part where his son became a vampire with a soul and is living in Los Angeles hundreds of years in the future, naturally.

To be fair Thomas took it in his stride, it was a lot to take in but he kept a calm face and nodded in all the right places. "This is" he was lost for words "unprecedented" Faith agreed,

"Impossible" she added, he nodded,

"So how long before you return?"

"Wish I knew" she looked at the floor, tears threatening to fall,

"You want to stay" it wasn't a question but she nodded none-the-less, "and marry my son"

"I do"

"I think my daughter must be in your time" he concluded

"You have a daughter?" he frowned wondering how much he should tell her,

"She's a slayer. Not mine by blood, but mine in every other way. Liam doesn't know" the unspoken '_so don't tell him_' wasn't lost on Faith.

"An-" she stopped, "my friends will find her. She'll be safe"

"I hope you're right. She's not strong" he steeped his hands together, "I've been hoping for a long time she's not chosen"

"None of us are strong until we're chosen" Faith frowned,

"There" he looked at her knowingly, "I think you're wrong" Faith didn't say anything she just rested her head back on the chair, "I'd like your help to get her back" he spoke quietly, Faith's stomach sank, she'd known it was coming. "But first I'd like you to eliminate the threat around these parts" his softer tones seemed very out-of-character to Faith but she assumed that it was because he needed her. She stood,

"You've got a slayer in this time," her eyes narrowed "but I'm not her" and she left the room in quite a huff. '_How dare he try to hire me_' she thought angrily, '_how dare he try and send me away'_ and that's what had really upset her. Faith spent the rest of the day sulking and Liam couldn't for the life of him fathom why.

* * *

**Present **

"Angel" Kathy spoke, everybody turned to look at her mouths dropped and so did she, back into Gaelic. She told him he looked familiar but she couldn't place him. Her mind was fuzzy and she couldn't really remember much of anything right now. That she could speak English but the words escaped her. That she was very scared and wanted to go home and finally asked would he take her. He listened patiently to the scared child in front of him and told her he would no matter what. She narrowed her eyes and told him he looked a little like her brother. He laughed it off. She said she'd never muched liked her brother but she liked him. She called him 'her Angel' and Angel stood up quickly.

_He was standing in the kitchen, looking at the man that once was his father. He didn't seem half as threatening now. He could just lunge and kill. It would be so easy. He took a step forward and Thomas shrank back, gaze falling on the body of his daughter – his slayer slumped against the wall, with heavy eyes he looked at the monster that had killed his son, the monster sneered,_

"_She thought I returned to her – an angel." _

Angel went paler and Wesley rushed over to him,

"Are you okay?" he looked concerned and he looked at Kathy, it took a while for Angel to regain his senses but he did and he looked at Wesley and then at his sister, "you look like you've seen a ghost"

"Wesley this has all happened before" he said, almost as if he couldn't quite believe it,

"Of course it has" Wesley agreed, hadn't he explained that fully? Angel sat down,

"I know" he sighed "I think I've just fully comprehended what that meant" whilst Angel was getting his bearings Wesley was watching the girl watch Angel. Funny how she didn't recognise her own brother, but he supposed Angel was a lot different than he must have been back then. Different accent, different hair, paler and he should imagine a lot less drunk.

"Are you okay?" he asked her gently, she nodded 'so she does understand me' he thought but decided not to peruse the matter. Maybe she was starting to feel more at ease.

* * *

**1753 **

Faith looked at her dress which was hanging in her room. She looked at her flowers which were flowing through the house, she looked at the setting sun and could hardly believe that tomorrow she would be marrying Liam. Stepping out on the balcony she felt the winter chill creeping through her bones. Tomorrow she would be escorted to the chapel in her dress with several woman from Liam's family that she didn't know. She would marry him and then be his wife. Faith fell on the bed smiling, she had never been so happy in her life.

Liam was sitting in a pub enjoying his last night as a single man. It wasn't the same though, he'd much rather be in a nice warm bed with Faye. He couldn't wait until tomorrow night and feared if he thought about it too much the entire pub would know just how much he wanted tomorrow night to come.

There was a blonde sitting in the corner not drinking anything, he locked her gaze and she wandered over casually,

"Hey" he offered, merrily on his way to being drunk, he grinned inanely,

"Hello" a seductive grin crept across her lips, Liam raised an eyebrow

"Don't you be getting the wrong idea Missy" he joked drunkenly, he took a slurp of his beer and Darla pursed her lips.

"Would you like to take a walk?" she was persistent,

"Not tonight" his grin was still there and he offered to buy her a drink, she declined. She could easily drag him from the tavern and get what she wanted by force. But she didn't, she wanted to break the slayer and the only way she could do that was if he submitted. Willingly.

How lovely for the slayer to be killed by her newly sired husband. Oh the plan was going to be perfect. She's find him tomorrow and sire him and then watch as he penetrated her on their wedding night, watch as those shiny virgin fangs slid into her skin like butter. Her mouth was watering. She was hungry, she looked down at Angel and knew she needed to get away. The plan was so perfectly concocted that she'd hate to ruin it by being impatient,

"Maybe tomorrow then. I'll be here" she looked around and then to him suggestively, "if you want me – maybe to buy the new groom a celebratory drink"

"Are ye coming to the ceremony?" he brightened up even more and Darla almost felt sick,

"I don't think so" she replied distantly, "I don't much like churches"

* * *

**Present Day **

It had just turned eight am in Los Angeles and Willow Rosenberg was bounding down the stairs two at a time,

"Angel" she yelled, there was no answer, "Angel" she shouted again. The place was empty. She ran upstairs to his room and started to bang on the door. He opened it wearing just his trousers and she didn't even react. He concluded that this must be serious.

It was exactly one month to the day that Faith disappeared, they had no way of knowing how long Faith thought she'd been away, but for Angel it had been thirty-one long days.

"What's up?" he asked, regarding the red-headed girl curiously

"It's Buffy"

"She's not dead again is she?" Angel looked horrified, Willow looked stunned and then shook her head,

"No she's had another vision!"

"Of what?" Angel was suddenly intrigued.

"She said it was the same as last time, but this time she didn't wake up. And there was a name. A demon's name. She'd forgotten it because.." she paused "you know she was distracted but the name was Alentaih!" Angel frowned,

"What's that?"

"She" Willow corrected "was a pretty bad-ass priestess back in the day, the day being a few thousand years ago! But she was hired, kind of" she didn't really know how to phrase it "you can summon her – and she can summon things" Angel still looked blank "or people" he clicked

"We need to get everybody downstairs" and they did.

* * *

**1753 **

Faith was staring at her ceiling, she was far too excited to sleep. She was thinking about Liam, how he smelt, how she felt about him. About everything really. She hardly thought about Angel anymore, but she knew one thing, she was definitely without a doubt in love with Liam. The thought of leaving didn't even much enter her mind anymore. It had been to long and people adapt, she felt like she belonged here. She could see in her head their life together in a nice little house a few children dancing around. Maybe a dog or two. Some sheep. It would be so perfect.

* * *

**Present **

The gang were sitting in a circle, Gunn still looked half asleep and like sitting up was an effort for him. Willow had a whole host of ingredients in front of her, including chicken's feet which made her stomach churn. She'd never admit it of course because Giles would make a jibe at her being an amateur again. Tara would have understood, but Tara was gone. Everybody was silent, watching her; she drew a few lines on the floor in a yellow powder and closed her eyes,

"Alentaih I summon thee, bring forth your skills to me" she threw the chicken foot into the pot of mineral water she had, and then some Kraken scales in after them, the pot bubbled forebodingly, well as forebodingly as a pot could bubble. "We need you help" some powder got thrown in and the concoction hissed, "we need your skills" something gooey that Angel couldn't place and wasn't sure he wanted to, "bless us with your presence please" some fingernails, and Lorne was starting to wonder if they really wanted to summon somebody who required such unpleasant substances "patior unicae viae videre ob suus ferre domi."

There was a band from the pot and it was empty, bone dry, Willow glanced at Angel not really knowing what to expect then, in a dramatic puff of smoke a girl was standing in the middle of the room. A girl who looked no more than eight years old.

"You wanted me?" she seemed annoyed,

"We need your help" Willow offered, completely thrown off, she was expecting something ugly or at least something a little older.

"I assumed that by the summons"

"We have a sarcastic eight year old" Lorne spoke what everybody was thinking, but promptly shut up when she glowered at him,

"We've lost somebody" Angel spoke,

"Not lost. She's where she's supposed to be" she answered coolly,

"She needs to be here" there was silence for a while and then;

"Very well. I'm told she needs to return." She looked at each of them in turn and for the first time Angel realised the had brilliantly violet eyes. "I need her" she pointed at Kathy. Angel nodded, "and her" she looked at Willow who blinked,

"Me?"

"You need to make contact, there need to be preparations back then"

"I'm going back in time?" Willow looked stunned,

"I'll hold your hand you will not get lost" she assured, dismissing the fear on the witches face, "we need to arrange a switch"

* * *

**1753 **

Faith's eyes were closed and sleep was finally almost upon her. The room was pitch black now, it was cold but Faith was warm snuggled under the blankets. Then there was a light and her eyes snapped open, she had to blink a few times before he eyes adjusted and she fully absorbed that Willow was standing in the corner of her room in what appeared to be a little pocket of sunshine,

"Faith" she smiled, shocked to actually see the girl, "wow it's freezing here" she noted,

"It's December" Faith replied deadpan, blankets held fast to her chest

"Really, wow" she turned behind her "she says it's December" she told the apparently invisible people standing with her. "We know how to get to back" she informed the slayer, waiting for a reply about how long they took, but it never came. In fact the slayer looked lost,

"W-when" she finally managed to choke out, suddenly she was realised just how cold it was,

"Now?" Willow almost laughed, she couldn't believe she was stood in a different time, looking at a Faith who looked so different than she had a month ago.

"I can't" Faith spoke quickly, "I need time" Willow frowned,

"We don't have time Faith" she was confused "you need to come home, Kathy's here she wants to come home to"

"Give me tomorrow" Faith was suddenly insistent, she thought she was going to be sick, cry and pass out all at the same time. There was silence for a while and then;

"Okay, but here's what you have to do..."

* * *

**Present **

Angel looked at the floor, hardly able to keep his excitement, in twenty-four hours Faith would be back and they could continue where the left off,

"I wonder why she wanted a day?" Willow mused, Angel shrugged,

"Maybe to say goodbye" Lorne offered, knowing exactly what was going on. He'd read a long more than a kiss from when he read Angel's thoughts, but he wasn't about to unleash memories on the vampire that should remain repressed. At least until he was able to handle them – of course he had a feeling when Faith came back, so would the memories and he was dreading being around to pick up those pieces.

"Maybe" Willow agreed, she hadn't thought of that. But if it was her she'd want to get home as soon as possible.

* * *

Notes 

Anybody for a downward spiral?

**Firstly yes, there are typos but I'm going to come back and fix them. I'm just getting it up now – sorry, want to post before the inspiration goes. _(anybody want to Beta them? do it them email them to me and I'll update with the new chapter and full credit to you :) I'm a lazy cow at times I know)_**

**One more chapter left and then I'll come back with my grammar & spelling hat on I promise. I don't have a beta and English is only one of ours first language. The other has no excuse but is so excited about getting this finished...she'll do it later.**

**_To our Sole Reviewer_** : I'll admit I'm rubbish at doing Buffy!Cannon. I've never been able to write her well and I was loathe to bring her in at all, but my partner said we must and bring her in we did.But yes I'm the first to admit that I didn't know how to handle the Buffy and Angel thing but from snippets of the series I do think Buffy can come across as quite spiteful. Especially when it comes to Faith. Like when Faith first came in and Buffy got jealous I thought she was very childish in handling that.

I tried to mix in a bit of guilt but because I didn't want to get into Buffy's head to much it didn't really come across as it did in my head sorry. Guilt because she should love Angel, but she's with Spike etc. And after the whole Faith/Riley thing I just thought this would be the last straw. Also the whole getting him into bed to prove he was still attracted to her was only part of it – I thought also it'd fall in with cannon because if she leaves all heated an angry he could still show up, snog her senseless in the last Buffy eps and it all ties in. If it doesn't work out with Faith of course.

So yeh, long notes but I got a long review. Thank you muchly, we both appreciate it, even if I'm the only one who'll admit it. Thank you and we'll consider your criticism! xx


	13. And they think it's all over

17"Whatever"

* * *

**1753**

That was that then of course, Faith couldn't even think about sleeping. Her cheeks were tears stained and she was angry at herself because of it. She'd lounged around here, never even contemplating that she'd have to leave. She'd gotten so comfortable. So in love. And now she was going home to a world were Liam was long dead. Liam and his smell, Liam and his wickedly handsome grin when he had a plan. She remembered everything. She remembered what they had done at dawn in a barn, she'd come out with hay all in her hair and Liam had come out on jelly legs,

"I di'nt even know girls did that" he said a smirk plastered to his face, eyes still glazed over.

She remembered them going to his local one night and getting far too drunk.

"For a lass you sure can drink" he'd observed as she downed her seventh beer, he'd had four and it was starting to show. Slayer metabolism but she wasn't about to tell him that. She'd had to help him home after he tried to keep up with her, she could have switched to water if she'd wanted to be kind, but Faith was Faith and she never turned down a free drink.

A lot of memories came back to her, the fights and arguments she'd gotten into in town because the girls missed 'their Liam', the nights she'd gone searching for him because he hadn't come home and she'd find him eventually somewhere around town. Those times always made her nervous and once she'd even confronted him,

"Don't you have any idea what could happen to you out here in the dark?" he laughed at her,

"I ain't afraid of monsters Faye"

"You should be" she'd growled back, eyes flaring in a temper, she hated being laughed at,

"And is it you? A tiny little thing that will protect me?" he was still laughing, shaking his head this time and Faith had landed a sharp left hook to his face. He'd reeled and Faith walked off. She'd felt guilty afterwards, especially the next day when Liam was sporting a very, very black bruise. He cheek was swollen as well and she'd wondered casually if she'd broken his cheekbone.

"Are you okay?" she'd asked, tentatively by way of mending the gap,

"It'll take more than this to bother me kitten" and she briefly admired the way he talked even though he was obviously in pain, she'd kissed him gently then and eventually he's started kissing back. Faith never said she was sorry but this would have been the closest she'd ever come.

"No apologies, no regrets" she quoted, staring at the empty space, "then what the fuck am I doing laying around remembering" so Faith got up and walked out of the room.

She knocked on Liam's door there was no answer, she opened it anyway. Liam was passed out on his bed and by the heap of clothes on the floor by his bed he was naked under the covers. She briefly hoped he wouldn't be hungover for the wedding. The more man didn't handle hangovers very well, and he always grumbled to when Faith was right as rain the next day, she'd always be extra chirpy just to really get under his skin.

She walked over to his bed, making up her mind she crawled up his body and planted a kiss squarely on his lips, he semi-stirred and his eyes half opened, but they shut again as he fell back off, then she trailed kisses down, down, down his chest and he sort of smiled languidly, eyes still closed. Faith kept going down...down...down and then his eyes snapped open. He moaned a little before looking down,

"Faye" he sounded surprised, she sat up

"Expecting somebody else?" she frowned,

"Course not" he wasn't awake enough to come up with a witty retort, "it's bad luck" he trailed off as her mouth was suddenly pre-occupied again. "Oh are you doing" he gasped "that again are you?"

"Nope" Faith sat up, "that was just for starters" Liam looked confused, "tonight we're going to make it count Liam O'Leannin"

"What'dya mean?" he slurred slightly, mind still heavy from sleep and alcohol. So she showed him, over and over again until the sun came up, then once more before she disappeared off to get ready for their wedding. Liam was sated, sore and far to tired to move. He wondered for a minute if he'd slept straight through missed the wedding and that had been his wedding night.

He managed to get about an hour of sleep before his father barged in demanding he get up else he'd be late.

The day was cold but dry, there was a frost on the ground and on her way to the church Faith huddled into her white, fur shawl. She hated fur, but didn't have much choice. It was either this or frostbite her mother-in-law to be had told her. You cannot wear a woollen jumped to a wedding. Especially you're own, her counter, that it was white so it went was answered with such a venomous scowl that Faith hadn't dared breach the subject again.

She walked slowly, taking everything in. This would be the last time she ever saw that place and she tried not to cry. Her dress was lovely, it was shaped like a ball-gown and had embroidery on the bodice. It was brilliantly white and flowed like water around her. It shimmered more than the frost on the ground. The white contrasted the darkness of her hair and made it look almost like black ringlets fell around her face. 

When she got to the church she stood still,

"Are you okay dear" was the tentative question from behind her,

"I'm fine" Faith almost snapped, she was already fighting back tears and the rising queasiness in her stomach, she didn't want to think about why any more than she had to. Suddenly she had a thought, "do you ever wonder were Kathy is?" she turned on the soft-spoken woman next to her, who'd shown her nothing but kindness and suddenly needed to know why she never spoke up,

"I don't ask dear" she said as if that was the end of it,

"Do you even know if she's alive?"

"Thomas says she is" and she frowned, Faith gave up, if the woman was happy to live uninterested and uniformed Faith could do nothing. She turned back and nodded to one of the grooms men, he opened the doors. 

Present

* * *

A few hours and he'd see Faith again. He tried to picture how she would look in his head but in none of the memories had he seen her face. The better part of his logic was telling him that she was the girl his father wrote about, but other than the facts he couldn't really picture events. Only a feeling here and a smell there.

But Faith he remembered, bad language, bad-ass attitude, large hazel eyes and soon she'd be here.

If only he could find some way to occupy the next few hours. Without thinking his finger traced the silver claddagh ring that he had been wearing since before he was turned, but he couldn't quite remember why. 

"Has Willow got everything ready?" he asked idly,

"Er" Wesley looked towards the redhead. "Just about"

"Good good." Wes sighed this was going to be a long few hours. Then he headed off into the bowls of the hotel looking for something the wiccan needed.

1753

* * *

Faith stood at the front of the church next to Liam, she cast a quick glance over the seats and it looked like half the town was there,

"You look pretty" he said, "but you looked better last night" he grinned boyishly and Faith narrowed her eyes, he looked at the priest. "Father?" he smiled,

"Ladies and Gentlemen" there was silence, "we are gathered here, on this lovely winters morning to celebrate the giving of Miss Faye Bennet to Master Liam O'Leannin" Liam locked his eyes with Faith's dark ones which were slightly hidden behind a veil. Liam hated those things, as did Faith but his mother had insisted it was the latest in design. 

"I need you to repeat these words Faye," he smiled at her and she nodded, never breaking Liam's eye contact, she loved that she had to look up into his eyes, "By the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love me." Faye repeated it flawlessly, "As the sun follows it's course, mayst thou follow me." And again she repeated, a tear fell down her cheek and Liam looked quizzically at her, he'd never pegged her for the sappy sort. "As the light to the eye, as the bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart, may they presence be with me" and as Faith repeated that line she hoped that it was true more so than the others, "Oh one that I love, 'til death comes to part us asunder" Faith repeated but knew that a power stronger than death was coming to tear her away. He smiled at her and the priest turned to Liam. Liam knew the lines so there was no repeating he'd been to enough weddings in his time. 

"By the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love me. As the sun follows its course, mayst thou follow me. As light to the eye, as bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart, may they presence be with me, oh one that I love, 'til death comes to part us asunder." He smiled at Faith who still had tears down her cheeks, he wiped one away, "I love you" he added and her mouth parted slightly, she'd never heard him say it.

"Now for the rings" the Father instructed, they were presented on a pillow to him and he held them, handing one to Faye he nodded, she turned again to look at Liam and he saw it was a silver Claddagh ring, he looked at her curiously, it was usually gold for weddings. She winked and whispered "you know how I hate being normal" she placed the ring on his finger up to his knuckle,

"With these hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my love" and she pushed it on, he couldn't help the foolish grin that had spread on his face, so she'd been taught the Irish tradition. He picked up her claddagh, a somewhat smaller, gold one. He was a little disappointed, hoping to explain it to her, somehow the magic had gone a little now that she already knew about it.

"With these hands I give you my heart and crown it with me love" he spoke the traditional lines though not quite as flawlessly as Faith. "You've changed my life forever Faye" he smiled down at her,

'_No, but I will_' she thought sorrowfully.

"May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight." Liam spoke the blessing his father had told him to, of course putting his own spin on the end. Sometimes he hated tradition. 

The priest looked at the guests then at the couple, it wasn't unusual for the Bride to cry, he was used to it from what he'd come to believe were fragile creatures. He spoke,

"_May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand. _

May God be with you and bless you; May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortune, Rich in blessings, May you know nothing but happiness From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on, May blue be the skies above you, May pure be the joys that surround you, May true be the hearts that love you. 

_Good luck Faye and Liam O'Leannin, you may kiss your bride_" and Liam did! 

There was thunderous applause which quite conveniently covered the sounds of Faith's sobs. Liam held her close, "are you okay?" he whispered, she nodded against his shoulder, she took a breath and pulled back,

"I'll be fine" she smiled and the newly married couple turned to face their audience.

Present

* * *

Angel sat on his bed, he'd wandered the hotel several times over and was anxious, he signed heavily. He lay down, sat up, picked up a book, put it down. He couldn't settle at all. He picked a box up from one of his few boxes. It was faded and dusty and there were patches where the fabric had worn thin. He'd had the box for centuries but had never quite wanted to open it. In his mind it had developed into a sort of Pandora's box. He had a sinking feeling it was wrapped into this whole Faith business. He dropped it back onto his pillow and wandered out of the room.

1753

* * *

As the couple left the church Faith looked at her husband, 

"lets get out of here" she suggested, suddenly very sure she didn't want to stay for the reception,

"when?" Liam was confused,

"No, lets just go" she was tugging at his hand gently,

"We cant, the guests, my father,"

"Liam, is this really how you want to spend my last," she stopped, "our wedding day?" she glanced around "being proper and good and listening to them all go on?" Liam looked around, and then looked at her, a gleam in his eye, 

"My father would kill us"

"Not if you get there first" she looked up at him, he looked confused and her face changed from solemn to smiley in nought point five seconds. He shook his head,

"What do you do to me Faye?" he grinned and kissed her,

"Come on, lets go home" she smiled "to bed" and the couple ran as fast as they could. Faith's white dress didn't hinder her. They came to a stop in front of the river they'd been to many times. 

"I love you" she spoke after they'd gotten there breath back, he grinned at her, 

"That dress looks uncomfortable, love" he smirked,

"Best help me out of it then" and the couple spent the rest of the after making love time and time again on the slowly thawing grass, the stream flowing innocently by. Their breath panted out in white puffs in front of their faces but neither noticed the cold, not really. Faith was numb to everything but the realisation that with each movement of the sun, her happiness was slowing being torn away.

All over Galway his father looked for them, but none of the guests found them. It didn't stop them enjoying the free food and booze though. Thomas didn't eat, nor did he sleep. He was busy in his house making the final preparations that would rid this pesky girl from his life forever.

Present

* * *

"Kathy?" she looked up,

"Angel" she recited, he smiled, 

"It's almost time" and she looked relieved, he walked and sat next to her thinking about how young she looked and he felt a world of guilt descend upon him, "a very good friend of mine is in your place back then" he explained in her native tongue even though he was sure she understood at least some English, just maybe not some of the lexis. "I don't know how smooth the transition will be"

"It will be okay" she tried, thinking about each word carefully, "will I see you again" some words were Gaelic but mostly it was not.

"Maybe" he offered, looking at the floor. When Faith came back Kathy would have maybe a week or so to live, "Willow, you ready?"

"Is this goodbye?"

"Not quite" and he pulled her against him, he'd missed his little sister.

1753

* * *

It was dusk and Faith was crying. Liam was sleeping wrapped up in the softness of her wedding dress which was now grass-stained and muddy. She was wearing nothing but the fur shawl that was wrapped around her shoulders, it fell to a few inches below her pelvic area so it was more than enough for Faith to be covered. She wore less to parties. She stood and began her slow walk back to the house, leaving Liam sleeping blissfully for a while longer. 

When she got to the house, Thomas didn't ask any questions. One look at her state of dress told him exactly what she'd been doing for the past nine hours. She stood where he told her to stand, all her tears dry. She was hard Faith now, she knew what needed to be done. Crying was for when she was alone. This Faith was resigned to her fate.

Present

* * *

Once again Willow had everything on the floor ready to summon Alentaih. She sat cross-legged but there was no nerves this time. Only excitement. She'd get Faith back and then she could go home and make sure Buffy wasn't too mad at her for staying, even though deep down she was sure her best friend would understand.

She spoke the same spell she had hours ago, Angel looked like he'd been jolted with a lot of electricity he was that wired. There was the priestess again,

"Are we ready this time?" she arched an eyebrow, Willow nodded. "Then bring me the girl."

Willow stood in the circle with Kathy and once again got that pressure that started underneath her tummy and felt like when Xander had dragged her on her first bit roller-coaster ride. She was looking into 1753 again. She saw Faith once more and she smiled, but noticed that the slayer looked liked she'd been crying. And wasn't wearing anything except a shall.

She offered a smile but didn't gain anything from the seemingly deathly cold eyes of the youngest slayer.

1753

* * *

She looked at Willow with red puffy eyes and stepped forward. Willow smiled at her, Faith didn't return in. There was a lot of chanting that Faith didn't understand and then nothing. Everything went black.

Thomas O'Leannin was looking at his potential slayer again, 

"Kathy?" he smiled, she flew to him and hugged him fiercely. 

"I missed you papa" she sobbed against him, he nodded, 

"You were safe." He said to her, more to convince himself than her.

That night when Liam stumbled in through the door after the long walk, Thomas was waiting,

"Father" he offered, "where is Faye?"

"Gone" he spoke honestly,

"What do you mean?"

"I sent her away. She wasn't good for you"

"You had no right" he growled, knowing instantly that it was true and not questioning it, something felt wrong, the house felt empty. "I have to find her,"

"You never will" he father replied. Liam turned and stormed out the house angrily. How could his father do that? How could Faye just leave. Maybe his father had been right all those times he said she was just after his money. Deep down he'd known when he awoke shivering in the field he knew he wouldn't find her again. She often left before he awoke but that had been different. Her clothes had been left. When he got dressed he'd found the claddagh right he'd placed on her finger that very morning on the floor. It had fallen off his shirt when he went to pull it on. Still, foolishly he'd hoped she had just gone home. He delved his hand into his pocket and pulled out that little piece of jewellery. Angrily he threw it to the floor. He headed to the tavern to drown his sorrows.

He came back for it later and it was still there, glinting innocently in the moonlight.

Nobody asked him about the wedding, probably because he'd walked straight in and started kissing a bar maid he knew from long ago. He still had the ring on his finger though which made Darla very curious indeed. For days Liam lost himself in women and alcohol with even more enthusiasm than he had before. He took several girls home a night and got into a habit of passing out here there and everywhere.

It was the seventh night since Faye had left him, he was sitting in a pub as he usually was these days with several people around him. One of which was buying him drinks so Liam was getting quite fond of him. He saw Darla walk out and recognised her from somewhere, though he couldn't quite place where. It was less than an hour before he and his friend were kicked out, Liam was laughing, 

"We'll back back when we've found a bit more" he stumbled and his new friend laughed, "keep them girls warm" he winked and the door shut. "Come on" he shot at the man next to him "We'll sneak in and take some of me father's silver. He'll never miss it. He eats with his hands, the pig." Liam took a few steps forward but the other man passed out, Liam frowned "Ah. Why don't you rest right here."

He walked for a little while, unsure of where he was going now and then a flash of blonde caught his eyes, he turned,

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked, eyes drawn to her pale beauty,

"Perhaps" she smiled, she'd been watching him for days and noted the change. She'd also not seen the slayer for a while. She's been most put out when Liam hadn't come to see her on his wedding day and had watched him sleeping after the Slayer left. She could have turned him then but a part of her wanted to see how this played out. She turned to walk off, he followed her. A wicked grin spread over her lips.

"So, I'd ask myself" he started out conversationally, "what's a lady of your station doing alone in an alley with the reputation that this one has?"

"Maybe she's lonely" was the coy reply, spoken softly,

"In that case, I'd offer myself as escort to protect you from harm and to while away the dull hours." He was smirking and she almost laughed, he was quick, she had to give him that.

"You're very gracious." 

"Hmm. It's often been said."'_Quick and exceptionally pretty_' thought Darla, he stayed quiet and for the first time since she could remember Darla made an attempt to keep the conversation going

"Are you certain you're up to the challenge?"

"Milady, you'll find that with the exception of an honest day's work, there's no challenge I'm not prepared to face. Oh... But you're a pretty thing. Where are you from?" she laughed politely at his reply. It was true, even when he was with the slayer she'd seem them doing very little other than have fun.

"Around. Everywhere."

"I never been anywhere myself. Always wanted to see the world, but-" Angel replied wistfully, stopping before he thought to much about Faye. She'd been from somewhere else but had never said where. He assumed England but he could have been wrong. He'd hoped, but no he stopped thinking about her. 

"I could show you." She said suddenly, at first what had become a plan to break a slayer was now turning into something else and she saw the hidden potential hidden under the surface. With a little push all that anger, all that loss could be turned into something much more beautiful.

"Could you, then?" he raised an eyebrow, thinking he knew were this was going,

"Things you've never seen, never even heard of." She was seducing him with her words now, her voice was softer and her eyes sparkled,

"Sounds exciting," he noted he was rather aroused,

"It is" she smiled, "and frightening" his male ego perked up it's attention,

"I'm not afraid" and why should he be "show me" he grinned and then looked into her eyes, "show me your world" they were standing very close now. She was smiling,

"Close your eyes" she spoke barely above a whisper, he did playing along. He wandered what she was doing and then he felt a prick, nothing overly alarming and then the pain. His neck felt like it was being sucked away from his body, he felt soft lips around searing pain and his eyes opened wide. Was this really happening? Could it really be happening? He felt dizzy and suddenly felt very tired, he dropped to his knees. There was a hand behind his head but everything was blurry. He tried to breath but there was something filling his mouth, it was warm but tasted horrific. He swallowed because he needed to breath but more kept coming and coming and soon he forgot about breathing and focused on drinking.

Then everything went black, his last thoughts were of the little gold ring still tucked into his pocket.

Present

* * *

There was a pretty undramatic flash of light and Faith was standing in front of wide-eyes in the exceedingly bright hotel. She looked at Willow, then Lorne, then Wesley and then she turned around. Her eyes locked with Angel's and they stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime.

Angel was speechless, her hair in ringlets, that shall, the lack of make-up the soft features. Everything flooded back to him and what happened then was as clear as day in his mind. He couldn't utter a word. This is why she'd left. After everything he'd thought and done, she didn't leave him after all. Angel was almost sick.

He took a step forwards and Faith took a step back, 

"Don't" he voice cracked and that did it, the slayer ran off up the stairs tears streaming down her face.

"Faye" he yelled without thinking and then shook his head, "FAITH"

"Don't" Willow spoke firmly. Finally she realised. Angel stood frozen for a moment and then disappeared into his office, it felt like somebody had just opened a very fresh wound.

1753

* * *

Liam had spent hours clawing himself up, he'd awoken in the dark stale air and hadn't had much room to move. He remembered very little about the passed few weeks and wondered absently were Faith was. His survival instinct made him claw his way out. Once he'd gotten through the splintering wood the earth was easy to move.

Darla watched and was a little relieved when she saw a hand reach out from the dirt, she smiled.

"Welcome to my world" she smiled as he worked it way out "it hurts I know" she sympathised, "but not for long. Birth is always painful" he glanced around, caked in the loose soil that had hoped to claim him into the earth. He looked at his tombstone and then at Darla. It all came flooding back. His hand went to his pocket, the ring was there but he no longer felt...anything. Other than very, very hungry,

"I could feel them, above me, as I slept in the earth. Their heartbeats, their blood" he licked his lips subconsciously, "coursing through their veins."

"Yes" she agreed, smiling at him, 

"Was it a dream?" he tilted his head, looking at her pale skin eyes drawn to her neck, then back to her eyes,

"For you. Soon" she looked around "their nightmare" there was a noise and both turned. There was a man, quite old standing there looking aghast,

"What have you done" he looked at the disturbed earth and then at the dirty man stood above the grave, "grave-robbers" he yelled but deep down he knew it wasn't true. These people were pale, very pale and he'd heard the legends.

"You know what to do" she purred and Liam did. He stepped towards the man and the pain in his joints was starting to lessen. He felt stronger almost, then he looked at the man who was paralysed in fear and before he knew what was happening his face was in the other man's neck. His teeth which were much longer than her remembered was beneath his skin and that intoxicating flavour that he couldn't get enough of was back. He drank and drank until it stopped coming and then he dropped the man to the floor like a used rag, he turned to Darla, licking his blood-stained lips

"It all makes sense now doesn't it" she looked at the corpse,

"Perfect sense" his eyes flared dangerously, he felt the new strength coursing through his veins. Something inside him was growing and that feed had made it very happy. He flexed his fingers gently and felt like he could run for a thousand miles,

"You can do anything, have anyone in the village. Who will it be?" Darla waited, he thought about it for a while, remembering the taste which was still fresh on his tongue and noticing that he was still very hungry, "Anyone?" he looked at her mischievously "I thought I'd just take the village" and Darla's mouth almost dropped open. Her eyes shone with pride and the two of them walked off into the darkness. 

Present

* * *

Faith spent almost a full twenty-four hours holed up in that dark hotel room. There were still broken things on the floor from the fight that seemed like it happened years ago. Her eyes were sore and she was worried that she had no more tears left. She felt lost and alone. After a shower she'd dressed in some jeans and a t-shirt and noted how weird it felt after months of dresses and corsets. She applied a little make-up, enough that she hoped would hide her puffy eyes. 

Angel woke up when he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, he must have fallen asleep on his desk. His head snapped up and he saw Faith leaning against the door frame, 

"Hi" she spoke, her voice was croaky and Angel knew instantly that she'd cried herself hoarse. Her hair was back to how it usually was, ringlets gone like they never existed and the Faith he knew was back. It shocked him how easily Faye had disappeared. But looking into her eyes, he didn't think Faye would ever disappear and he wondered how Faith would handle that. 

"Hey" he replied finding himself unable to look her in the eyes, 

"I'm heading back to Sunnydale in a few hours. Just cleared it with Willow" she looked haunted but if he closed his eyes and listened he could pretend it was Faith. 

"Are you sure" he stood up but Faith raised her hand, 

"Angel. Don't. I don't know what happened here before" she looked away "but" she looked back, "I love Liam" she said, and he looked down "and I've just left him. And it's been years for you. Years and years but for me it's been a _day_. I can't think" she stopped and took a breath "what he must be going through" 

"I remember-" 

"Stop" she spoke more firmly this time, "What we had, that wasn't you" and Angel looked hurt, "you're not him. I can't, it hurts to see you" she turned away, "because I look at you and you should be him." He nodded, "I need to go. Because I can't be around you yet." After a while standing silently she added "I might one day." 

"We're married after all" Angel tried to lighten the mood but when she looked back at him her eyes were so filled with pain that he instantly regretted it. 

"**No**. We're not. My husband's long dead" and with that she turned on her heal and walked away. 

"Faith?" he called after her, she stopped but didn't turn around, 

"You did the right thing." Another tear fell down her cheek but Angel never saw, he was losing another love but this time he had the sinking feeling it wasn't his to lose.

* * *

"You headed out?" it was hours after Angel and Faith's little chat and nobody had failed to notice that they'd avoided one another like the plague.

"Yeah" she headed over to him and he stood "no tears big guy" Gunn gave her an affectionate High-Five and a nod. They made some quick quips at Conner's expense much to the young boys disgust. "Wes" she offered as he walked out the office door, she was pretty sure he wasn't sad to see her go,

"Faith" he replied, there was a silence and Willow stood,

"See brits know how to say goodbye" she said conversationally to Willow, "Angel here wanted to hug" she sighed, Angel frowned and none of the others really knew how to take that comment,

"I didn't" he replied indignantly even though he clearly did and much more besides but if Faith wanted to play the 'nothing happened here' game, he wasn't going to spoil her fun. And possibly in the process crumble all that was left of her resolve. 'Give her time' his mind shouted, butwhat was left ofLiam inside him wasn't for agreeing with that at all. 

"Been a good show" she offered emptily, glancing around at everything that was still left out from yesterdays summoning. There was a little more small-talk before Faith and Willow finally left. Angel spent a good part of the next few days doing what he did best.

Brooding.

1973

* * *

It was the last night before the new year and the servants were off in the O'Leannin household. It was still in mourning and it was very quiet. The dead of night. There was a knock at the door but only Kathy heard it, her mother and father were too lost in their grief, she walked slowly to the door and opened it. Her eyes widened,

"Hello there" he smiled, all charm, his skin was pale and his hair was tucked behind his ears. It couldn't be Liam because he was dead, but it could be; "You've come back for me" Kathy smiled, but he just looked at her quizzically, "Angel?" 

* * *

**Notes**

Well that's it, everything's back to how it should be. We hoped you liked our little story. There will be a sequel but it's going to take place about 3 or 4 years after Angel finished. Prequel will be out before Thursday so please check that out.

This has been such a big part of our lives for the past 4 years that we were both in tears writing this chapter. I don't think either of us ever actually expected to finish this, but we had and it came so naturally that it caught us off guard.

This isn't the end though! The sequel will have lots more twists and surprises to keep you interested. Faith's back and Faye's gone. Liam's dead and Angelus has been unleashed on Europe.

Thank you so much to all our kind reviewers who have stuck with us throughout this story! We hope you enjoyed it and hope to see you again soon! Remember, sometime this week so keep checking! X

It's the end of an era and I'm crying again.

Also if anybody has any good idea's for the title of the Sequel, let us know. We've got the story but no title...we suck we know. 

Also, from Melek:

4 years... it's a long time... but everything comes together...Angel remembers some good and some bad things... Faith... well her world has been rocked...We had to shed tears here... but at least we'll have Galway!

* * *

**Will Faith & Angel Get Their Happy Ever After?**

**tune into 'The Sequel' coming soon xx**


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